An offseason acquisition proves his value with underrated play for Rangers
There have been few positives for the New York Rangers this season, but one is Reilly Smith’s play. The 33-year-old forward has been a underrated solid addition and has helped the team start the new year with a 3-1-1 record.
Rangers general manager Chris Drury acquired Smith from the Pittsburgh Penguins in the offseason, sending a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft and a 2027 second-round pick the other way, with the Penguins retaining some salary. He and New York’s only other veteran summer addition, forward Sam Carrick, combined for the overtime winner in a 3-2 win over the New Jersey Devils.
Related: 3 Rangers takeaways from exciting 3-2 OT win against Devils
Reilly Smith’s versatility on full display with Rangers
Peter Laviolette put Smith on the top line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider at the start of training camp. They had some success, but lacked a certain chemistry and the unit was eventually broken up.
As a result, Smith has spent time as part of both the bottom six and top six, moving around the lineup amid shuffles with injuries and roster changes. On some nights, he averages almost 20 minutes a game. On others, he averages far less. He currently figures in on the second line alongside Will Cuylle and Zibanejad, though things may change again when Kreider returns from the IR.
Smith has eight goals and 12 helpers for 20 points and a plus-3 rating in 40 games this season. He’s started 2025 strong, recording four points in the past five contests. His crafty passing ability was on full display on the 2-on-1 that teed up Carrick’s game-winner in extra time.
“We didn’t have the puck for very much of that shift. Just waiting for the opportunity to put some pressure on them,” Carrick said postgame. “You know, 3-on-3 is a different game. Once we did get the puck then I just tried to chug up the ice and give ‘Smitty’ an option. He made a great pass.”
“I think over the last little bit since Christmas we’re doing enough to give ourselves a chance to win every night,” Smith said. “Tonight was a great example of that. It was probably one of our better games since the start of the year.”
Reilly Smith a key addition on special teams for Rangers
The Rangers lost a key part of their penalty kill when Barclay Goodrow was claimed off waivers by the San Jose Sharks this past offseason. Goodrow was a staple on a unit that ranked third in the League with an 84.5 percent success rate last season.
Without Goodrow, in 2024-25 the Rangers’ penalty kill ranks ninth in the NHL at 82.5 percent and has five shorthanded goals, good for third in the League. Smith scored his first short-handed goal with the Rangers in a 6-2 win against the Chicago Blackhawks last Sunday, his second point on the penalty kill, though his presence on the unit has been felt beyond the score sheet.
Thursday night, the Rangers were perfect on the PK, killing each of the Devils’ four power plays.
Smith would slot in as an effective third-liner on most playoff contenders, and he’s an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. His fate is likely tied to the Rangers’ play until the March 7 trade deadline – he could be a valuable trade chip if New York becomes a seller, but could also help the team surge into a playoff spot before then, rendering him an important piece of the Rangers’ roster down the stretch. He did, after all, win a Stanley Cup in 2023 as a member of the Vegas Golden Knights and could serve as a rent-a-player for a team looking to make a push – or as a veteran on a Rangers team that never seems to get over the hump.
No matter how this season shakes out, Smith’s acquisition seems to have been valuable for the Rangers despite their struggles.
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