Why this Vegas Golden Knights and New York Rangers trade does (and doesn't) work

We live in an age where nostalgia is a major economic driver. That includes endless movie reboots and video game remakes in today's modern society. Fans love the countless 'member berries that come with the simpler times when life wasn't so stressful. The Vegas Golden Knights have that with the "Golden Misfits," a ragtag group of players that nobody bothered thinking of.

That included Reilly Smith, a winger currently playing for the New York Rangers. He was paramount to the Golden Knights making two Stanley Cup Final appearances, winning one championship along the way. He contributed plenty of 'member berries during his tenure, scoring 124 goals and 162 assists in six seasons.

Fans would love to see Smith don the black and gold again, skating at T-Mobile Arena for one more year. Interestingly, one trade proposal capitalized on this opportunity, giving the "Misfit" back to the team that made him famous. Here's what was proposed.

There are plenty of reasons why this would make sense on the surface. Braden Schneider is a nice young blue-liner who can move the puck. He's also stayed healthy early in his career, missing one game in the past two seasons. Plus, there's a first-round pick. That's always good, especially if they're developed properly.

There's also dumping Shea Theodore's $5.2 million cap hit. That's big for a team tight on cap space, where they only have $1,360,017 in LTIR-included cap room. Smith gets his happily-ever-after and returns to Las Vegas for one go-around. All this sounds good and dandy, right?

Why this proposed Reilly Smith trade between the New York Rangers and Vegas Golden Knights doesn't work

But there are some pratfalls with such a deal. Sorry to play the spoilsport, dear reader. However, there's a good reason why Reilly Smith was traded from the Vegas Golden Knights in the first place. That starts with his age, where he's currently 33 years old. He also has a cap hit of $5 million heading into next season, which doesn't help the Golden Knights much.

Even if the New York Rangers, who are also tight on cap space ($623,476), retain some salary (which is impossible without a third team), it would be a costly move for a player with diminishing returns. Last season, Smith scored 13 goals and 27 assists with the Pittsburgh Penguins. That's a far cry from his Stanley Cup-winning season with Vegas (his last with the team), where he scored 26 goals and 30 assists.

There's also Shea Theodore, who hasn't gotten enough love within the fanbase (guilty party here). Sure, Smith brings scoring depth back to the wing position. However, Theodore is younger (29 years old) and is an incredible playmaker, especially on the power play. He had 37 assists (13 on the man advantage) in 47 games last season, making him a reliable blue-liner. Why trade Theodore for a one-year rental in Smith when the younger "Original Misfit" can do more and stay one more year?