Reilly Smith is set to make his New York Rangers’ debut tonight against the New York Islanders as he’s prone to serve a substantial role. Through the start of training camp, Smith has been playing on a line alongside Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad. Rangers coach Peter Laviolette confirmed on Tuesday that Smith is expected to stay on the top line for tonight’s preseason game. Smith also practiced on the team’s first power play unit during today’s practice. Throughout the course of last season, the Rangers were searching for the perfect fit to play with Kreider and Zibanejad, but just couldn’t find one. Now, Smith has an opportunity to earn that spot and this first preseason matchup will be a big indicator to see if Laviolette can trust the veteran forward with these two highly explosive players. New York acquired Smith from the Pittsburgh Penguins over the summer in exchange for a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft and a second-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft. Sean Avery Illustrates Rangers Perfect Shift This past season, the 33-year-old recorded 13 goals, 27 assists and 40 points in 76 games while averaging 16:08 minutes.
