Reilly Smith stood by Casey DeSmith's glove side late in the third period and was looking for an open puck. Mind you, the game is tied at two goals apiece. The Original Misfit fires off a blistering shot and buries it home. The Vegas Golden Knights defeat the Dallas Stars, 3-2. All of this because of a guy who came back into the lineup after being healthy scratched for a week.
Credited with the game-winning goal, the Golden Knights winger has seen a drop in production this season. He's scored 12 goals and nine assists, marking a dropoff from his 13 goals and 27 assists last season. Certainly, the writing's on the wall for this guy.
Well, there's the outside shot that he could convince Golden Knights management to keep him around a little longer. This is an Original Misfit that we're talking about here, after all. He came back after taking brief detours in Pittsburgh and New York, not getting much from those stops.
While you might look at his 2025-26 production and not see much, let's explore that outside chance and see if that's a realistic shot. Remember, his production wouldn't be the only selling point that he has to his name, though. The intangibles play an integral role in his sticking around for another year with the Golden Knights.
Believe it or not, it's not the production that's the standalone selling point for Smith
In many cases, 12 goals and nine assists wouldn't cut the mustard for an extension. In fact, it would leave you on the outside looking in for your next deal. In fact, that's where Smith currently stands with the Golden Knights now.
However, he came back on a one-year deal worth $2 million this season. That's a far cry from past deals, where he would make $5 million AAV with the Golden Knights. In essence, that's because his career's winding down and he's not producing anymore.
So, why is this a big deal? Well, think back to when Jonathan Marchessault wanted a longer term with Vegas. Kelly McCrimmon didn't budge on this and was willing to move on from him. While he's finding a second wind (even if reluctantly), the Golden Knights could spend his potential $5.5 million AAV elsewhere.
That could be the case for Smith if he finishes the 2025-26 regular season strong. If he can close out March with a strong campaign and carry that momentum into April, there's no telling what will happen with his next deal.
There are some players who put the team and the city over financial pursuits. They see how the city they've played in has impacted them and look to stay longer. For this Original Misfit, this could be the case and it could play into his favor by season's end IF he finishes strong.