Shortly after suffering their third consecutive regulation loss, the Vegas Golden Knights made their first trade ahead of Friday’s trade deadline, acquiring winger Cole Smith from the Nashville Predators in exchange for undrafted defensive prospect Christoffer Sedoff and a 2028 third-round pick.
Smith is likely a rental, as his contract carries a $1 million cap hit and is set to expire at the end of this season.
He isn’t a flashy player but likely will slot in on Vegas’ fourth line, which hasn’t had a strong identity since the Stanley Cup run. The Golden Knights have struggled with energy, especially early in games, so Smith’s presence could improve that. He has experience playing with Colton Sissons from their time in Nashville, which should make the transition more fluid.
Smith doesn’t have great overall metrics, and he has just 10 points (six goals, four assists) in 42 games this season. But he offers Bruce Cassidy another option when shorthanded, as Smith has been one of Nashville’s top penalty killers this year.
Smith also will give the bottom six a different look, and he brings size and physicality to the table with a 6-foot-3, 195-pound frame. He has 119 hits this season.
The 30-year-old native of Brainerd, Minnesota averages 14:07 per game, and, despite the modest totals, has seen an uptick in production compared to last year. He is currently two points shy of his point total from 2024-25 in 29 fewer games.
This is the fourth full NHL campaign for the undrafted winger, who recorded a career-high 23 points in 2023-24.
Smith has 23 goals and 62 points in 271 career games.
Photo courtesy of Nashville Predators