Amidst a massive shakeup from a terrible 7-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Sunday, the Vegas Golden Knights made some moves. That started with an Original Misfit jumping up to play alongside Jack Eichel and Mark Stone. His name? Reilly Smith.
Smith moves to the top line with Eichel and Stone. https://t.co/B7Fn6q5YTm
— Danny Webster (@DannyWebster21) January 27, 2026
It's an interesting promotion, to say the least. Smith has been relatively quiet this season, scoring eight goals and seven assists. He's projected to hit 13 goals and 11 assists in 76 games, a far cry from his 27 assists from last season.
Still, it's with good reason why Smith received a promotion. The Original Misfit has scored 135 goals and 177 assists in his eight years with the Golden Knights, making him one of the most successful players in franchise history. It's also why he was one of the first players to come back to the Golden Knights after leaving the organization.
What does Reilly Smith's promotion mean for the Vegas Golden Knights?
Bruce Cassidy is no stranger to giving Original Misfits a bump to the top unit. Fans will remember Jonathan Marchessault having his talents unleashed with 42 goals in 2023-24. The reason? He played alongside Jack Eichel.
That was also the case with William Karlsson during last season's Stanley Cup playoffs. He spent time with Eichel, taking on the Edmonton Oilers. Smith's latest promotion should come as no surprise to Golden Knights fans, especially with the latest lineup shakeup.
Cassidy lauded Smith's flexibility with the promotion, stating that he can play both wings and play alongside anybody. That's no different from Eichel and Stone, who provide the offensive capability to pick up anybody.
Line | TOI | Corsi | Fenwick | xGF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Jack Eichel-Mark Stone-Reilly Smith | 2:49 | 60% | 100% | 0.11 |
What's more, this line hasn't been experimented with much. Last season, the trio only spent 2:43 of total ice time together, generating two shots (stats courtesy of Natural Stat Trick). It allows the Golden Knights to see what the Misfit can do with the top guys.
As for Smith? He's the type of player to get down to the fundamentals. The 34-year-old always sticks to working on his stickhandling and movements, making him one of the most underrated players around. His fundamentals could come in handy on Tuesday against the Montreal Canadiens, giving the Golden Knights an unprecedented advantage.
Hey, anything can happen, especially a teacher getting a once-in-a-lifetime promotion with Jack Eichel and Mark Stone. Isn't that the coolest thing ever?