The New York Rangers didn’t do a whole lot this offseason, but still went out and acquired Reilly Smith via trade and signed Sam Carrick.
Chris Kreider is already on the record praising Smith and all he brings to the table and it seems Jacob Trouba is excited to welcome the veteran forward to New York as well.
"He’s a great player. Playing against him for a long time, you know how good he can be. I obviously know Brendan. Everyone has crossed paths with one of the two at some point, it feels like. I met (Reilly) at the rink last week, a week and a half ago. He’s excited to be here. We’re excited to have him," Trouba said to The Athletic.
Smith is a player that brings Stanley Cup winning experience and provides a spark of offense to the Rangers top-six that they could certainly use.
With the Pittsburgh Penguins this past season, the 33-year-old recorded 13 goals, 27 assists and 40 points in 76 games.
Trouba also spoke about Carrick as he seems eager to play with the 32-year-old center as well.
"Another good player. He made a pretty big impact toward the end of last year. Reached out to him, welcomed him in a little bit. I heard a lot of great things about him, so he’ll be good for our team as well," Trouba said.
Carrick had 10 goals, six assists and 16 points in 77 games last season with the Anaheim Ducks and Edmonton Oilers.
The fact that Trouba reached out to both Smith and Carrick speaks volumes about his leadership qualities and commitment to the team despite all of the trade rumors that have gone public.
Trouba is a professional and it’s these kinds of moments that show a person's true character.
