NHL Rumors: 3 Teams Linked to Free Agent Forward Reilly Smith
Free agency begins July 13 and one of the teams in some serious financial constraint - the Vegas Golden Knights. They have a number of players in need of a contract extension and appear to be set to lose some serious talent to the open market. Forward Reilly Smith is a part of this group and it's likely he hears from these three teams:
New Jersey Devils
If you are in your prime, play the wing and can produce offensively, the Devils want you to pick up the phone. General manager Tom Fitzgerald has made his intentions loud and clear and wants to find some scoring punch on the wings for the likes of Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier. Smith can light up the scoresheet and is coming off an injury plagued season where he recorded 16 goals and 38 points in 56 games. Smith's good for 20 goals per season, so he's certainly an intriguing option for the Devils.
Seattle Kraken
Smith knows what an expansion team is all about and the Kraken are looking to make a big splash this summer. Seattle has the cap space to make a deal work and Smith would instantly become one of the best offensive weapons. He can play in all situations, which is something a lot of teams covet. There's going to be a number of teams with interest but perhaps the two strongest bids could come from the Devils and the Kraken. Whoever misses on Johnny Gaudreau is likely going to have Smith circled as Plan B.
Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes are one of the best teams with cap space this summer and are looking for some impact players up front. The team can't seem to get over the hump and a lot of that has to do with the fact they have trouble scoring goals. Smith can produce with the best of them and is coming off a deal making $5 million per season. Something around $5.5 million over four seasons should get the job done here and expect to see the Hurricanes in the running for the free-agent forward.
Photo credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports
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