Scout’s Analysis: Thoughts on Rangers getting Soucy, Vegas landing Smith
The New York Rangers made two trades on the day as they straddle the line between buyer and seller, continuing to shake up their group.
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The action is beginning to pick up the pace less than 24 hours until the NHL trade deadline, with a few moves made on Thursday. The New York Rangers made two trades on the day as they straddle the line between buyer and seller, continuing to shake up their group.
In the first move involving New York, the Vegas Golden Knights were buyers and made a play for a scorer — but while it’s not the sort of surprise blockbuster we’ve come to expect them to pull off, they did bring back a familiar name. Reilly Smith was an original member of the Golden Knights in their inaugural season and won a Stanley Cup with them in 2023.
“I think it’ll be a good addition for us. He’s a veteran guy. Knows how we play, knows the room, knows the expectations, comfortable here in every aspect,” head coach Bruce Cassidy said. “I’m glad.”
Smith was traded away from Vegas two weeks after winning that Stanley Cup, a casualty of the cap as the team chose to re-sign Ivan Barbashev to a five-year deal instead, after the Russian forward was acquired during that season. Smith went to the Penguins, who later traded him to the Rangers. New York sent him back to Vegas Thursday in exchange for prospect Brendan Brisson and a 2025 third-round pick.
The Rangers will also retain 50 per cent of Smith’s $3.75 million cap hit, landing him in Vegas with a $1.875 million AAV on an expiring contract.
Vegas has about $503,000 in remaining deadline day cap space, but haven’t yet put Shea Theodore on LTIR. If they do, and if he’s going to miss the rest of the regular season, it will open up options for the team on Friday.
Meanwhile, the Vancouver Canucks traded out struggling defenceman Carson Soucy, who has a good track record in the NHL for being a sturdy, reliable defenceman. The left-shot, 30-year-old blueliner moves to the New York Rangers without any salary being retained, bringing a 2025 third-round pick back to the Canucks, who now have $13.648 million in deadline day cap space available.
For more on the NHL two players involved in these trades, we turn to our scout Jason Bukala.
SCOUT’S ANALYSIS
Reilly Smith back to Vegas
Smith is a 14-year veteran forward who enjoyed the most success of his career in his first go-around with the Golden Knights. He produced a career-high 60 points with Vegas in 2017-18 and 27 goals in 2019-20.
Vegas obviously feels comfortable adding the 33-year-old version of Smith to their roster as they jockey for position in a tight Western Conference race. Smith isn’t the same player he was when he had his career year, but he still plays quick and fast enough for the speed of today’s NHL and adds a secondary layer of scoring at even strength to the Golden Knights roster. He’s produced 7G-16A at even strength this year, while averaging almost 16 minutes of ice time per game.
Another area of Smith’s game that is generally reliable is his defensive acumen. He can be used in a variety of roles, including matching up against second lines on the road and rolling over the boards on the penalty kill.
When Smith is motivated, he’s a proven player in the middle of an NHL roster. He leans third-line forward at this stage of his career.
Carson Soucy to the Rangers
I have to admit, I thought there was going to be more interest in Soucy than what the return brought the Canucks. He hasn’t played to the best of his ability this year in Vancouver, but the same can be said about several skaters who remain on the Canucks roster.
Soucy averaged just over 18 minutes of ice time per game in Vancouver. Almost all of his shifts came at even strength and the penalty kill. He was credited with 84 hits and 92 shot blocks in 59 games.
Where Soucy really struggled for me, in my viewing, was with his ability to time his gaps appropriately and take away lanes defending against a speed rush. Far too often, opponents found ways to slip down the boards or escape off the cycle and head to the Canucks’ net with Soucy on the ice.
The thing is, I honestly believe Soucy’s struggles have been a byproduct of what has gone wrong collectively at times in Vancouver this season. I still project Soucy as an NHL regular who can slot into a bottom pairing and assist with checking middle-six forwards.
