Reilly Smith upbeat despite being out of Golden Knights lineup in Cup Final

LAS VEGAS -- Reilly Smith has seen it all when it comes to his time with the Vegas Golden Knights. He’s still shocked by how many fans show up for open practices.

“I'm always surprised that no one has to work on a Monday morning,” Smith said. “It's been that way for nine years, and that hasn't changed.”

Other things, however, have changed.

Smith, who is in his second stint with the Golden Knights, was an alternate captain in his first six seasons playing for them before being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins on June 28, 2023. But he has been a healthy scratch for three straight rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, including all four games against the Carolina Hurricanes in the Cup Final.

Smith hasn’t dressed since May 1, when Vegas eliminated the Utah Mammoth with a 5-1 victory in Game 6 of the Western Conference First Round. 

“I wish he could play, but yeah, it's competition,” said forward William Karlsson, who was part of the inaugural Golden Knights team in 2017-18 with Smith. “He's been a good teammate off the ice here. I wish he could be out there battling with us.”

With the series tied 2-2, Vegas will need to win two of the next three games to hoist the Stanley Cup for the second time. The best-of-7 Final continues with Game 5 at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; ABC, SN, TVAS, CBC).

Until his name is called, Smith said he understands the selflessness required for a team to be successful.

“For every winning team, what you need when games get close are blocking shots and sacrificing yourself for the team -- those are paramount,” Smith said. "I've always been a big advocate of that.”

Smith, who was traded back to the Golden Knights by the New York Rangers on March 6, 2025, isn’t dwelling on the lack of playing time and is focused on supporting his teammates in practice and in the dressing room, where his role as a veteran remains important.

“The guys have done a great job being able to battle through adversity and come out with wins,” he said. “I’m staying ready, practicing, and being positive.”

Smith had 26 points (16 goals, 10 assists) in 69 games during the regular season and has two assists in six playoff games. His other contributions over his eight seasons with Vegas haven’t been forgotten; Smith scored the game-winning goal and had an assist in a 9-3 victory against the Florida Panthers in Game 5 of the 2023 Cup Final that allowed the Golden Knights to raise the trophy.  

Additionally, Smith’s name is scattered throughout Vegas’ regular-season record book. He is in the top five in games played (489, fifth), goals (143, third), power-play goals (29, tied for fourth), and short-handed goals (13, second). In the postseason, he is fourth in team history in games played (105), fifth in points (72), tied for fifth in goals (21), tied for second in assists (51), tied for fourth in power-play goals (five) and tied for fourth in short-handed goals (one). 

But nostalgia has not been enough when it comes to lineup decisions. Smith lost his spot partly due to the return of Karlsson to begin the second-round series against the Anaheim Ducks. Karlsson, who had been out since Nov. 8 with a lower-body injury, has nine points (three goals, six assists) and is plus-11 in 14 playoff games this season.

“It (stinks) that he has to sit,” Golden Knights coach John Tortorella said of Smith. “He's a seasoned pro. He understands how to handle this type of situation. He's worked hard. It's hard for those guys to be sitting out and just practicing and waiting, but he's handled himself really well.”

Regardless of whether Smith is in or out of the lineup, he will be ready to support the team in any capacity. 

“We're all pulling for a common goal,” forward Keegan Kolesar said. “It doesn't matter who's in or out of the lineup; we all have the same mindset. We're trying to win no matter what. He's been wonderful to have in the locker room. He's one of the original guys on this team. He's one of the heart and souls of the team.”