Former Florida Panthers winger Reilly Smith is headed back to the Stanley Cup finals as a member of the Vegas Golden Knights [http://thn.com/vegas]. Smith played just two seasons with the Panthers, but he put up very respectable numbers. In his first season with the team in 2015-16, Smith notched 25 goals and 50 points in 82 games. He followed that campaign up with 15 goals and 37 points in 80 games. In the 2017 Vegas expansion draft, the Golden Knights selected Jonathan Marchessault from the Panthers, but they were also forced to give Smith as a concession. Smith went on to form a dynamite trio with Marchessault and William Karlsson for several years. Following the Golden Knights’ Stanley Cup triumph over the Panthers in 2023, Smith was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins [http://thn.com/pittsburgh] and later the New York Rangers [http://thn.com/nyrangers]. But at the deadline in 2025, the Golden Knights reacquired the veteran winger. Smith, now 35 years old, hasn’t produced at the same rate as he once did, and he’s lost his spot in the lineup because of it. During the 2025-26 post-season, Smith has featured in just six games, recording just two assists. All six of Smith’s games came in the first round against the Utah Mammoth [http://thn.com/utah]. Despite not playing, Smith is likely still a veteran voice that many of the Golden Knights’ players turn to. While nothing is guaranteed in the NHL, the Golden Knights just took out the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche [http://thn.com/colorado] and are very healthy heading into the finals. While there is no doubt that the Carolina Hurricanes [http://thn.com/carolina] or Montreal Canadiens [http://thn.com/montreal] could win a finals matchup against the Golden Knights, they are the clear favorites to win it all. If that happens, Smith would take home his second Stanley Cup. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Image [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/e84aebc1-a620-472a-a98b-3142f5e4c38b.jpeg] For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free [https://thehockeynews.store/products/print-subscription]. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/i7OC4I]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
