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Reilly Smith dealt back to Vegas for a 3d round pick, Brisson |
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Who says you can’t home again. New York sent the 33-year-old Reilly Smith, who won a Cup in the Desert, to the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday in exchange for forward prospect Brendan Brisson, a former first-round pick, 29 overall in 2020, and a 2025 third-round draft pick originally owned by San Jose. The Rangers will also be retaining 50% of the $3.75 million they owe Smith through the end of this season, leaving a $1.875 million salary cap hit they can easily absorb. Following that trade as well as the others made by the organization, they're left with nearly $17 million in available space, according to PuckPedia.
GM Chris Drury recoups part of the original cost he paid for Smith, who had been sitting the last several trades as trade protection. During the summer, New York gave up a 2027 second-round pick and conditional 2025 fifth-rounder to get him, rightly viewed by most of us as an overpayment, with the Pens retaining 25% of the $5 million average annual value on his expiring contract. The Sharks pick acquired should be at the top of the third round. For those complaining the Rangers did not get a second round pick, the spread difference between the two as of right now is only a few picks
Smith, an unrestricted free agent after the season and who had an NTC, was not going to be back. Sitting him the last few games and now trading him, open up ice time for others. Initial benefits of the desire to deal Smith have been Brett Berard and Brennan Othmann. Brisson, who will report to Hartford, is viewed by the organization as someone with untapped potential.
On the face of it, the Rangers could be done. I don’t expect K’Andre Miller to be dealt and would not be shocked if a long term deal was inked. Zac Jones has been rumored to be available, but his play the last three games may have opened some eyes, again. Not that doesn’t mean he couldn’t be packaged to find an upgrade, at least in the organization’s mind, as a top four LH D man. Mario Ferraro’s name has come up. Ferraro signed for one more year at $3.25 mil could fit the bill, though at times his hype value is more than his real value.
Chris Kreider is unlikely to go now, given the injury. Over the summer, a trade is more likely. But as we have seen so far, trade deadline season is a bit crazy. Drury has done good word adjusting and augmenting in the fly. So I would expect one more deal before 3pm tomorrow, and given what we have seen to date this trade season, I wouldn’t be shocked if it was a bigger trade than we all expect.
New York Rangers Blogger • 
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