What would the Penguins and Capitals look like if Evgeni Malkin and Alex Ovechkin swapped Draft spots? While everyone in the Pittsburgh Penguins’ fan base waits for a decision with Erik Karlsson, there are still other matters of the team to be sorted out. If the Penguins land Karlsson, he won’t be the only newbie coming to Pittsburgh via trade; he wouldn’t even be the first of the offseason. New president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas acquired Reilly Smith from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for a 2024 third-round pick. For the first six years of their existence, Smith played a huge role in the Golden Knights success. Ever since the 2017 Expansion Draft, Smith has been a true leader and producer, putting up 286 points (124G-162A) with the Golden Knights. Smith arrives in Pittsburgh as a Stanley Cup Champion and is likely slated to play within the top-six forward group. There have already been discussions of Smith sharing a line with Evgeni Malkin to start the season, but that could change quickly. Penguins fans have seen the wingers that surround Malkin and Sidney Crosby get swapped out all of the time; Smith and Malkin, however, might stick for a while. Smith plays on the left wing, exactly where Jake Guentzel slots and there likely won’t be a separation between Crosby and Guentzel any time soon. While Guentzel has had solid efforts with Malkin before, he’s found a home on Crosby’s wing. Smith will be new to Malkin but the two should see an immediate impact; Smith is a solid puck mover for Malkin’s finishing ability, and Smith will play the little extra defense that Malkin doesn’t bring. Rickard Rakell will likely start the season on the second line right wing, and he’s proven to be solid wherever he plays. The Penguins will miss what Jason Zucker brought to Malkin’s line, but Smith will easily pick up the slack and help keep everyone as productive as possible. Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins [http://insidethepenguins.com/]for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more! Penguins Still Have Log Jam on Defense [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/pens-talk/pittsburgh-penguins-still-log-jam-defense] Erik Karlsson Deal at Stan Still for Penguins [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/news/erik-karlsson-deal-stand-still-pittsburgh-penguins] Penguins Re-Sign Ty Smith to One-Year Contract [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/news/pittsburgh-penguins-resign-ty-smith-one-year] Penguins Re-Sign Jonathan Gruden to One-Year Contract [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/news/pittsburgh-penguins-resign-jonathan-gruden-one-year] Penguins Sign Emil Pieniniemi To Entry-Level Contract [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/pens-talk/pittsburgh-penguins-sign-emil-pieniniemi-contract] * undefined * undefined
