Pittsburgh Penguins Trade Reilly Smith to New York Rangers
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On the first day of free agency, Pittsburgh Penguins General Manager Kyle Dubas was busy...making a trade...flipping 32-year-old Reilly Smith to Metropolitan Division rival New York Rangers in exchange for two draft picks.
After winning the Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023, Smith departed the club via a trade to Pittsburgh for a third-round pick on June 28, 2023.
During his lone season with the Penguins, he scored 13 goals and 40 points, which was a dip in production from the 26 goals and 56 points he had in his last season in Vegas.
However, Dubas turned those numbers into a fifth-round pick in 2025 and a second-round pick in 2027.
The Rangers won the Presidents' Trophy and failed to win the Eastern Conference title for the second time in four seasons, so adjustments were on the horizon.
Meanwhile, Pittsburgh picks up some draft capital to move in future transactions or use to restock the prospect pool, which ranks close to the bottom of the NHL rankings.
Although Smith's experience with the Penguins did not lead to the results both sides had hoped for, the third-round pick (69th overall) of the Dallas Stars at the 2009 Entry Draft will start a new chapter in his career.
New York will be his sixth team in the NHL, with a resume that includes 840 games, 213 goals, and 513 points.