Peter Laviolette unexpectedly confirms the inevitable after recent trade speculation.
Peter Laviolette shocks many by confirming that veteran forward Reilly Smith is on the move following growing trade rumors.
It seems general manager Chris Drury is preparing to trade Reilly Smith, as the New York Rangers forward will be held out of tonight’s game. The Rangers will face off against the New York Islanders, a matchup they should be able to handle easily. However, Smith’s absence from the lineup raises questions about his future with the team.
According to The Athletic’s Peter Baugh, the decision is tied to roster management, which hints that Drury may have already lined up a destination for Smith before the trade deadline.
Smith, who is set to become a free agent at the end of the season, has had a disappointing tenure in New York. He was acquired in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins for two draft picks—a deal that Drury may now regret.
“Reilly was a really good player for us,” Laviolette said. https://t.co/lR9rL5ul1T
— Peter Baugh (@Peter_Baugh) March 3, 2025
Smith was traded to the Rangers by the Penguins earlier this week in exchange for a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft and a second-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.
However, the third-line winger has underperformed in New York, mirroring the struggles of the team as a whole, which has failed to live up to expectations following their President’s Trophy-winning season. Smith has posted just 29 points (10 goals, 19 assists) in 58 games this season, struggling to find the elite form he had in Vegas.
It’s clear that Drury may have overpaid for Smith, but there’s hope he can turn this trade into a win in some way. The Rangers are expected to look significantly different by the time April rolls around.
Leave a Reply