3 Potential Trade Destinations for Rangers' Reilly Smith
The New York Rangers are keeping forward Reilly Smith out of the lineup on Sunday, as trade talks have advanced and they don't want to risk injury. The Rangers continue to sell off assets as they look to re-tool during a disappointing season, with Smith being a pending UFA, makes sense for GM Chris Drury to land an asset or two in a deal.
Here's three teams to watch for Smith, who has 10 goals and 29 points in 58 games:
Florida Panthers
The Panthers moved Matthew Tkachuk to LTIR and added Seth Jones in a clean swoop, and somehow now have over $8 million in deadline cap space. Tkachuk isn't expected back until the Stanley Cup Playoffs, so it makes a ton of sense for them to acquire Smith as a fill in for the top-six for now, and then he can slide into a depth role for the postseason.
Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers are looking at just about everything with less than a week until the deadline, including secondary scoring. GM Stan Bowman would prefer to move Evander Kane before the deadline, and if so, Smith would be a much cheaper, less dramatic replacement. Smith has a Stanley Cup, and has played 106 playoff games, recording 79 points. Edmonton needs more winners in their dressing room.
Washington Capitals
The Capitals are trying to find some secondary scoring on the wing before the deadline and could see Smith as a proven big-game player worth spending on. At $3.75 million, and a chance that the Rangers are willing to retain money, the Capitals can manage to get Smith under the cap, while likely using one of their two 2025 second-round picks to meet Chris Drury's asking price.
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