Could the Vegas Golden Knights Bring Reilly Smith Back?

People love a good reunion story. They can't get enough of when a person leaves a place they've called home, only to return. It's happened with the likes of LeBron James and John Cena during the SAG-AFTRA strike, to name a few. One person that could be in this category is none other than the former Vegas Golden Knight, Reilly Smith.

One of the Original Misfits, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the offseason for a 2024 third-round pick. Of course, this helped bring back both Adin Hill and Ivan Barbashev, who re-signed with the Golden Knights during the summer.

But it seems like life might have other plans in the wings. After all, life is a funny thing. When you let something go, you never know if it'll come back. With the Pens falling out of contention and the Vegas Golden Knights going strong, there's a possibility that we could see a Reilly Smith reunion in Sin City. But what would be the pros and cons of bringing him back?

2. The Cons of Bringing Back Reilly Smith

The obvious problem that sticks out is Reilly Smith's age. At the age of 32, the Penguin is seeing a decline in both his body and his production. Just look at his stats this season compared to last year. 35 projected points compared to 56 points is a steep drop-off for a player. In fact, that gap could fall off a cliff.

On the injury note, Smith is recovering from an injured left arm and returned against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday. The wear and tear of an NHL career will do that, my dear. With the former Misfit returning for the first time since January 11, what good does it do if he also gets hurt?

Of course, this isn't the first time that he's had injury problems. Last season, Smith had lower body injuries that sidelined him for four games. In 2021-2022, he missed the last 24 games of the season with a knee injury. With his history of getting hurt, that puts his reliability into question.

Besides, Vegas has been better with scoring in recent memory. With the return of William Karlsson and other key players coming soon, the Golden Knights get a power play/offensive piece back in Karlsson. The services of Smith won't be required as much, especially if it requires parting with a draft pick.

3. The Verdict on Reilly Smith

While the Vegas Golden Knights won't be getting the same Reilly Smith from the previous tenure, it's good to have a depth piece. His familiarity with the team and veteran presence will make Vegas better offensively. Plus, the fans would welcome back Smith with arms wide open.

If the Golden Knights do pull the trigger, you could look at a 2025 fourth-round or 2024 or 2025 fifth-round draft pick being swapped. Vegas will love to have their Original Misfit back in action. With the stars aligning, that reality is looking more like a possibility. It's almost like a return was written in the stars.