The Vegas Golden Knights traded forward Reilly Smith to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a third-round pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.

The third-round pick was VGK's original pick, which they traded in the deal for Teddy Blueger.

"I’d like to thank Reilly for his time in Vegas. He’s one of the original players we selected in expansion. We’re proud he leaves a Stanley Cup champion," Vegas General Manager Kelly McCrimmon said to the media at the NHL Entry Draft. "Our objective to try and keep as much as our roster together as we can. I think we’ll be able to return almost in tact which is uncommon for Stanley Cup winner."

Smith was an original "Misfit," being selected in the 2017 Expansion draft. He appeared in 399 games, scoring 124 goals with 162 assists. Smith also scored the game-winning goal in the Stanley Cup clinching win over the Florida Panthers. He has also been one of the more visible members of the Golden Knights when it comes to community interaction, as he hosts a Celebrity Softball Tournament yearly.

The move, according to PuckPedia, opens up $5 million in cap space for the Golden Knights, which will likely be used to re-sign Adin Hill, who is rumored to be re-signing a two-year deal worth about $4.9 million AAV. 

The move, while surprising to some, is in line with Vegas's mantra to do whatever it takes to win. They have traded other fan-favorite players for less in the past.