Kelly McCrimmon decided to soothe the nerves of Vegas Golden Knights fans everywhere by making a trade on Tuesday. Granted, it wasn't too big a deal, considering that it's Cole Smith. The former Nashville Predator comes into town as a rental, bringing his $1 million cap hit with him.
You probably didn't even know that the left winger even existed before the trade. After all, Smith hasn't lit the lamp too much in 2025-26; he has six goals and four assists. Perhaps this was a move meant to spark an awakening in a slumbering Golden Knights team. Maybe it reminded the players that they could be on the chopping block like Zach Whitecloud...
...Or perhaps it's a move that makes the team better. Yes, you're not getting too many goals from a fourth-line player making $1 million. However, there's much more to what the ex-Predators player can provide for Vegas. In fact, he can be useful in more ways than one.
So, you know what's coming, dear reader. It's time to look at the newest Golden Knight and see what he can bring to the table. This even includes how he could be deployed and where his specialties lie. Grab a cup of coffee and a croissant because we're having a little meet-and-greet with Cole Smith!
What Vegas Golden Knights fans can expect with Cole Smith on board
As mentioned, you're not getting too much offensive output from Cole Smith. The Minnesota native's best season came in 2023-24, when he had nine goals and 14 assists with Nashville. However, that's not where his skill set lies.
His specialty lies in the defensive game, where he has an 82-game average of 1.1 (stats from Hockey Reference). His career-high here also occurred in 2023-24, when he got 1.3 defensive point shares. Of course, he's also reunited with a former Predator on the lower units.
Cole Smith and Colton Sissons played together a lot in Nashville and should immediately click on @GoldenKnights 4th line. Smith is a PK 1 guy who brings pace and energy and finishes his checks.
— gary lawless (@garylawless) March 4, 2026
That's right. Get ready for a Predators throwback with Colton Sissons and Cole Smith. The two forwards are reunited and are ready to bring better exits and physicality to the Golden Knights. All we need is to convert Jeremy Lauzon to the forward group and everyone is set.
Speaking of physical players, that's what you can also expect from the winger. Smith has 119 hits this season, adding a punishing style to the lower units. The expectation is that he'll add more grit, alongside names like Lauzon and Keegan Kolesar.
Adding Smith might not have "sax" appeal, but it's necessary
Look, adding Cole Smith to the Golden Knights isn't the most appetizing move out there. Full disclosure: I had to do a double-take to see who TSN's Darren Dreger was even talking about. However, after researching, there's more value to adding a gritty lower-line winger than people realize.
First, Vegas hasn't done too great at defending its own net. That might come from the netminders (namely Adin Hill and Carter Hart) being underwhelming. However, it's also the defensive structure that lacked teeth.
Opponents were given all sorts of space, allowing them to pick apart the Golden Knights as they wished. Granted, this has been a self-inflicted problem by McCrimmon. However, adding Smith alleviates this symptom.
Adding some low-cost defense brings balance to a Golden Knights team in dire need. It's also what teams like the Florida Panthers have done in recent years, making low-cost moves that won them... two Stanley Cups.