NHL Trade Grade: Penguins acquire Reilly Smith from Golden Knights

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 13: Reilly Smith #19 of the Vegas Golden Knights hoists the Stanley Cup after the team's 9-3 victory over the Florida Panthers in Game Five of the 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena on June 13, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Golden Knights won the series four games to one. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

New Penguins GM Kyle Dubas took his first step toward crafting the new roster in Pittsburgh by prying a Golden Misfit from Vegas.

The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired Forward Reilly Smith from the reigning champion Vegas Golden Knights for a 2024 third-round pick.

Smith had an impressive 2022-23 season with 26 goals and 56 points in 78 games. He had four goals and 14 points in 22 games in Vegas’s run to their maiden Stanley Cup in franchise history.

Smith is an intelligent forward who will join Pittsburgh’s top six. He could play alongside Sidney Crosby and set new career scoring records. He’s a solid option and a proven playoff performer. His two-year contract aligns well with Crosby’s timeline and marks a strong start for the Kyle Dubas era as GM in Pittsburgh.

NHL Trade Grade: Penguins land Reilly Smith from Golden Knights

This move alone won’t fix Pittsburgh’s depth issues. Smith’s arrival led to the departure of fan-favorite Jason Zucker, who agreed to a one-year, $5.3 million deal with the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday.

The Golden Knights traded Smith to save money and received a 2024 third-round pick. This move will free up $5 million for the next two seasons, but it may affect the team’s image, as Smith was a fan favorite and original franchise member.

The trade shows that the team prioritizes business over player loyalty, which can be hard to accept.

However, Smith leaves having done his job. In what turned out to be his last game in Vegas, he was honored for it. In the cup-clinching Game 5, head coach Bruce Cassidy started a lineup of five players known as the “Golden Misfits” that included Smith, William Karlsson, Jonathan Marchessault, Brayden McNabb, and Shea Theodore.

These players were all part of the original roster for the Golden Knights in the 2017-18 season. Another player, William Carrier, a “misfit,” did not start because Cassidy could only start one left winger. Cassidy apologized to him before he announced the decision.

Penguins Trade Grade: B | Golden Knights Trade Grade: B-

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