The Vegas Golden Knights made a quiet but practical move to bolster their forward group, picking up winger Cole Smith from the Nashville Predators. Heading back the other way is defense prospect Christoffer Sedoff along with a 2028 third-round pick.

Smith isn’t a flashy addition, but he brings experience and reliability to Vegas’ bottom six. The 30-year-old has six goals and four assists through 42 games this season, his sixth year in Nashville. He’s playing out the final year of a two-year deal that carries a manageable $1 million cap hit — the kind of contract contenders like to add this time of year.

A native of Brainerd, Smith has spent his entire NHL career with the Predators, totaling 23 goals and 39 assists across 271 games in the National Hockey League. He’s also appeared in five playoff games, giving Vegas a player who understands postseason intensity, even in limited action.

Sedoff, 24, has been skating with the Henderson Silver Knights in the AHL, where he’s posted four assists in 38 games this season. He now joins a Predators organization that appears to be leaning further into future assets.

Vegas currently sits atop the Pacific Division with a 28-19-14 record, and this move signals they’re looking to solidify depth rather than make a headline splash.

Earlier in the day, Nashville also moved forward Michael McCarron to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for a 2028 second-round pick, another sign the Predators are reshaping their roster with an eye toward what’s next.

The Minnesota native’s most productive offensive season came in 2023–24, when Cole Smith recorded nine goals and 14 assists with the Nashville Predators. Offense, however, has never been the defining element of his game.

Smith’s value is rooted in his defensive reliability. He owns an 82-game average of 1.1 defensive point shares (per Hockey Reference), with a career-best 1.3 posted during that same 2023–24 campaign. His ability to suppress chances, win board battles, and execute clean exits makes him a dependable presence in a depth role.

In Vegas, he’ll reunite with former Predators teammate Colton Sissons, giving the Vegas Golden Knights a familiar pairing on the lower lines. The duo developed chemistry in Nashville as defensively responsible forwards capable of handling tough matchups while adding a physical edge.

Physicality is another clear part of Smith’s profile. He has delivered 119 hits this season, reinforcing his reputation as a hard, straight-line winger who finishes checks consistently. That style fits seamlessly with the Golden Knights’ identity and complements players such as Jeremy Lauzon and Keegan Kolesar, who also bring size and edge to the lineup.

Overall, Smith projects as a defensively sound, physical depth addition who strengthens Vegas’ bottom six without altering its core structure.