Knights prepare to welcome Original Misfit back to T-Mobile Arena

Reilly Smith’s presence will be felt Saturday night, even though he may not be in uniform.

Smith’s impact in the locker room and the community was that significant during his six seasons with the Golden Knights. He was a two-way standout on the ice and scored the Stanley Cup-clinching goal against the Florida Panthers. He created the “Battle for Vegas” charity softball game off of it that’s raised more than $550,000 since its inception.

Smith was traded in the offseason to the Pittsburgh Penguins, who will make their lone visit to T-Mobile Arena this season at 7 p.m. Saturday. He may not dress because of an upper-body injury.

That doesn’t mean everything he did for the franchise will go unappreciated.

“I think his play on the ice spoke for itself. He was a consistent 200-foot player who played on the power play, penalty kill and really all situations,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “And I think he has tremendous ties to the community that kept selling the game here.

“We obviously miss him.”

Cassidy said Smith, an alternate captain his six seasons with the Knights (26-14-5), was the perfect conduit between players and coaches.

He was respected by both groups and could be trusted to relay thoughts and concerns from one to another.

“I think he represented a good voice for the players in that way,” Cassidy said.

Smith was also a very good player in his own right.

He scored 124 goals and 286 points in 399 games with the Knights after being acquired in an expansion-draft deal with Florida. Both those totals rank third in franchise history, behind longtime linemates Jonathan Marchessault and William Karlsson.

Smith was dealt to Pittsburgh (21-15-6) on June 28 for a third-round draft pick. Cassidy chalked it up to a necessary business decision. Clearing Smith’s $5 million cap hit off the books helped give the Knights enough flexibility to sign left wing Ivan Barbashev and goaltender Adin Hill to extensions.

Smith has eight goals and 20 points in 40 games for the Penguins thus far. He suffered an upper-body injury Jan. 11 and hasn’t played since. He skated in a no-contact jersey during Pittsburgh’s Friday practice at T-Mobile Arena, but he is unlikely to return Saturday.

Smith is still in town. That should give fans a chance to pay tribute to him. He was one of six original members of the Knights that were part of the team’s first championship last season, and he was the second player to lift the Stanley Cup after captain Mark Stone.

Smith’s visit should also let him catch up with his teammates. He’s seen them twice since the year began: In Washington on the Knights’ White House visit Nov. 13, and in Pittsburgh for the Penguins’ 3-0 win Nov. 19.

Smith’s time in town has kept the Knights’ group text from last season buzzing following goaltender Jonathan Quick’s return with the New York Rangers on Thursday.

“He meant a lot to me and the team,” left wing Paul Cotter said. “He pulled me aside numerous times just to chat. You could tell he had your back.”

Rookie Brendan Brisson, the Knights’ 2020 first-round pick, said Smith always made him feel welcomed even though they never shared an NHL locker room during the season.

Brisson did get Smith’s permission to wear Smith’s old jersey number, No. 19, this summer.

“He was a special player and a special person,” Brisson said. “Every time I saw him, he was always asking me how I was doing and how my family was. I always appreciated that. He was there from the beginning and nobody has ever had a bad word about him.”

Smith was one of several Knights players who established what the team could be from the start. The culture he helped create will live on even with him wearing a different uniform.

“They all came here and went to the Cup finals the first year and really showed how good they all were,” Brisson said. “They didn’t give up and that was pretty inspiring to come into. It was great to be drafted into an organization built like that. None of those guys got it the easy way. They kind of set the standard for the never give up, never back down foundation of this organization.”

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.