The New York Rangers shuffled their forward lines in a 5-2 win against the New York Islanders on Sunday afternoon. Not liking the Rangers overall play in three of the previous four games, coach Peter Laviolette shifted course to shake things up.
It was likely a big deal for longtime linemates Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider to be split up. Or for Vincent Trocheck to be moved from Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere. Even the Rangers best line this season — the third line centered by Filip Chytil — saw a change, with Will Cuylle being taken off the line to be replaced by Kreider.
Zibanejad stepped into Trocheck’s spot and finished with three assists, including one on the power play and another at even strength. Panarin scored two goals and Trocheck potted the 200th goal of his career.
All in all, not too bad.
Then there’s Reilly Smith. The veteran forward probably didn’t see the line shuffling as a big deal. He’s new to the Rangers, acquired this past summer from the Pittsburgh Penguins. So, even though he’d exclusively played right wing with Zibanejad and Kreider this season, it was only 10 games.
The 33-year-old slotted in next to Trocheck and Cuylle on Sunday, assisting on Trocheck’s goal after a slick takeaway in front of the Islanders net.
The proficient attack by Smith started as an F1 forechecker, who stole the puck with an active stick, and found Trocheck in a better scoring position. It’s the second goal Smith has created off a turnover this season; he has nine takeaways in 10 games.
It was another subtle two-way play by Smith, who’s quietly impressed so far with the Rangers. He’s tied for sixth on the Rangers with eight points (two goals, six assists) in 11 games. His assist total is tied for fourth on the Blueshirts.
That’s better production than last season, his only one with the Penguins, when Smith had a disappointing 40 points (13 goals, 27 assists) in 76 games. His current scoring pace would land him at 65 points and establish a new NHL career high. He had 60 points (22 goals, 38 assists) with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017-18.
That was the inaugural season for the Golden Knights, who appeared in their first Stanley Cup Final that season with Smith contributing 17 [postseason points (five goals, 12 assists).
Vegas lost the 2018 Final to the Washington Capitals, but won the Stanley Cup in 2023, when Smith generated 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in 22 games and scored the Cup-winning goal against the Florida Panthers.
Reilly Smith versatility a plus for Rangers
Smith was acquired by the Rangers as a possible solution to the tumultuous 1RW hole on the Zibanejad line. His experience allows for comfortable versatility throughout the lineup, which was evidenced Sunday and in his strong special-teams play on the PK and power play.
The complementary piece to Kreider and Zibanejad is not the issue or solution. That conclusion increases Smith’s value to the team. He’s not just here to simply support the Rangers dry pivot 5v5.
Since the Pavel Buchnevich trade in 2021, general manager Chris Drury has tried 14 skaters on the right of Zibanejad and Kreider with only limited success. Drury has been hampered by a lack of salary cap flexibility and lack of chemistry between a bevy of forwards and the Zibanejad/Kreider pair.
Zibanejad is struggling again 5v5, with just two points in 11 games. Although Smith has added an element to that line, it is up to the Rangers top-line center to get out of his even-strength slump. Perhaps that will happen with Panarin and Lafreniere now.
Kreider-Zibanejad-Smith totaled three goals 5v5 in 10 games. The other two Rangers lines that played more than 50 minutes together, have eight and nine goals scored respectively this season, per Moneypuck.com.
The ability to deploy Smith-Trocheck-Cuylle is more dependable than forcing a player signed for a specific purpose like Blake Wheeler, a young skater not conditioned for the role like Kakko, or directly the next-man-up into that roster hole.
Next-man-up is a great mentality when overcoming injury adversity but it is not ideal if one player is struggling and the roster structure needs to conform to a new look.
It wasn’t all perfect for the Cuylle-Trocheck-Smith line Sunday. They had an xGF of 37.94 percent, were outshot 11-4 and outchanced 9-6, per Natural Stat Trick. Each side scored a goal 5v5 with them on the ice.
But it doesn’t matter what line Smith is on, he is a natural playmaker in the offensive zone. Adding to his knack for his set-up positions, he scored two of his line’s three goals 5v5 with Zibanejad and Kreider.
Simply, he’s been a quietly effective addition this season.
