The reunion continues.
The Golden Knights are signing right wing Reilly Smith to a one-year, $2 million extension. The deal, which includes a no-trade clause, will keep the Original Misfit in town three months after he was reacquired prior to the NHL trade deadline.
Smith, 34, played six seasons for the Knights after being acquired in a trade with the Florida Panthers during the 2017 expansion draft. He helped the team win the Stanley Cup in 2023 and was the second player to lift the trophy after captain Mark Stone.
Smith was traded that offseason to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He spent one year in Pittsburgh before being shipped to the New York Rangers, then was dealt back to the Knights on March 6 for a third-round pick and right wing Brendan Brisson.
Smith has 553 points in 919 NHL games. He has 297 points in 420 games for the Knights, including 11 points in 21 games down the stretch last season.
He chipped in three goals during the playoffs, including a buzzer beater that lifted his team to victory in Game 3 of its second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers.
“I think I play well for this team,” Smith said at the Knights’ year-end media availability in May. “I think the best hockey that I’ve played through my career has been wearing this jersey. It’s a fun group to be a part of. It’s a fun place to call home. My family loves it here.”
Smith’s new contract will give him a chance to reach 1,000 NHL games in a Knights sweater. He would be the second player in franchise history to do so after defenseman Alex Pietrangelo.
Smith is one of four Original Misfits remaining on the team, along with center William Karlsson and defensemen Brayden McNabb and Shea Theodore.
The Knights, with Smith re-signed, have approximately $7.615 million in cap space remaining with 10 forwards, seven defensemen and two goaltenders under contract.
NHL free agency opens Tuesday. The Knights remaining pending unrestricted free agents include left wings Brandon Saad and Tanner Pearson, right wing Victor Olofsson and goaltender Ilya Samsonov.
Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.
