LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Reilly Smith is a Vegas Golden Knight again, and he's happy to be back in the community he means so much to.
Here's what the Original Misfit — back on home ice — had to say
After hoisting the Stanley Cup in June 2023, the beloved Original Misfit was traded by the VGK to the Penguins to create for cap space to retain Ivan Barbashev. Smith spent the 2023-24 season with Pittsburgh and the 2024-25 season with the New York Rangers.
The last two weeks have been a whirlwind for the 33-year-old forward. He became the first Golden Knight to ever be re-acquired when Vegas sent Brendan Brisson and a 3rd-round pick to New York for Smith on March 6.
Smith becomes one of four remaining Original Misfits from the inaugural 2017 team still with the Golden Knights, re-joining William Karlsson, Brayden McNabb and Shea Theodore.
In six games playing for VGK since the trade, Smith has tallied two assists and recorded well over an hour of time on ice, averaging about 15 minutes a game.
I sat down with the Misfit after practice Tuesday to hear about his warm welcome back to Vegas, lessons from his past two stops and how he's re-adjusted to head coach Bruce Cassidy's system.
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Full Interview
NICK WALTERS: You meant so much to this community for six years. What has the last two weeks been like?
REILLY SMITH: It's been a little bit of a whirlwind. A lot of things going on, a lot of moving parts. When you have a family, moving cross-country, there’s a lot of things that are up in the air, especially around trade deadline. Coming back to Vegas makes everything a lot easier. Coming back here has been awesome.
WALTERS: Your last memory being in Vegas was having the Stanley Cup given to you by Mark Stone first after winning the Cup. When you knew you were going to be a Golden Knight again, what was your reaction?
SMITH: A little bit of shock to be honest. Around the trade deadline so many different things are happening in flux and there's rumors of a million different things. You don't really know what's concrete and what to believe. But as soon as I had the call with our GM, the dust settled, it was super exciting just to be able to have a path ahead of me and a familiar path makes it so much easier.
WALTERS: Six years of giving back to this community, helping grow the Vegas Born brand and doing so much within our valley. How do you look back on those six years and how do you plan on picking up where you left off?
SMITH: I'm super proud of what I did off the ice here. There's a lot going on right now but as soon as that gets figured out, it'll be great to get back in the community and help out where I can.
WALTERS: First things first and that’s to win hockey games. You’ve had some games to get back on track and get your feet back under you. Two assists already. What has it been like to get back in the swing of things for Vegas?
SMITH: It takes a little bit of time no matter what team you're going to. I've played for three teams in a year and a half. There's going to be different systems. A lot of the structural parts haven't changed too much but the more games you play the easier it becomes. It was nice to be able to get on the road and play four or five games right away to get to the point where you're not double-thinking your decisions on the ice.
WALTERS: It's a new-look team compared to what you left it as in 2023. But you do have three other Original Misfits on the team. What has it been like to reunite with your former teammates that helped lift the Cup?
SMITH: It's pretty surreal to be honest. I never really expected to be back here. Having such great memories playing with those guys and obviously winning a Stanley Cup together, those are things you remember forever. Being able to come back here and honestly feeling the excitement from my teammates, it does go a long way.
WALTERS: Being back in a Golden Knights uniform for the last six games, what have you taken away from this experience that makes you optimistic about your second stint in Vegas?
SMITH: I’m just kind of living day by day right now, but it is great to put that jersey back on again. I am really proud of what I was able to do here in six years previous to coming back. I think there's high hopes for this team. The expectation is to win a Stanley Cup and we come to the rink every day with that expectation to get better.
WALTERS: Two Stanley Cup appearances and one Stanley Cup victory in Vegas. You moved on to Pittsburgh and then New York. What have you learned from your last two stops that you're bringing back for your second stint in Vegas?
SMITH: "I think you pick up on different things every day. Playing in Pittsburgh, I was able to play with Hall of Fame players, just how people carry themselves on and off the ice, in the community. I think that's something I always try to get better at. There were some great role models there. You just have to go day by day. It's a wild ride when you play professional sports and life is going to throw you a lot of curve balls. Take everything with a little bit of positivity and I think that goes a long way.
WALTERS: Have you heard from fans? I'm sure you've heard from the community, online, being welcomed back with open arms.
SMITH: The support has been pretty crazy to be honest. From the time the plane landed and I was able to step into a hotel, I feel like every person I talked to, they're super excited for me and my family to be back in this city. To have such a warm welcome, just super grateful for this community.
WALTERS: I'm sure you're motivated to get your second Stanley Cup with Vegas. This team looks like it has the tools to do just that, being atop the Pacific Division right now. What do you think about this team compared to the 2023 team that makes you feel like if this team can get hot at the right time, you have a real shot?
SMITH: I think it's pretty similar to be honest. The depth this team has is pretty special. Speed through the middle, playing fast in the neutral zone, these are attributes that that Stanley Cup winning team had and there are a lot of similarities with this team. Stanley Cup, a lot of things have to go right to give you the opportunity to get there but just joining this team, they've done a lot of things right this year.
WALTERS: The day you were traded back here, I was (at City National) talking to fans and they said 'I'm sure William Karlsson is a happy man right now.' I know you have a good relationship with him from your time in Vegas. What was that bond like and how's it been to rekindle that the last couple weeks?
SMITH: We kept in touch all the time. His excitement in me being back here is pretty special. With both of us having growing families, we're at different stages in our life than when we first got here. But I think the enthusiasm in being back here wearing these colors is probably matched for him as well. It's been pretty special.
