Reilly Smith facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Reilly Smith
Smith with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2018
Born	(1991-04-01) April 1, 1991 (age 34) Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position	Right wing
Shoots	Left
NHL team Former teams	New York Rangers Dallas Stars Boston Bruins Florida Panthers Vegas Golden Knights Pittsburgh Penguins
NHL Draft	69th overall, 2009 Dallas Stars
Playing career	2011–present

Reilly Smith (born April 1, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He plays as a right winger for the New York Rangers in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Smith grew up in Toronto, Canada. He played junior hockey before joining the Miami University's RedHawks for three seasons. While in college, the Dallas Stars picked him in the 2009 NHL Draft.

After playing for the Stars, Smith joined the Boston Bruins in a big trade. He then played for the Florida Panthers for two seasons. Later, he moved to the Vegas Golden Knights. With the Golden Knights, he helped them win the Stanley Cup in 2023. He even scored the goal that won them the Cup in the final game!

Reilly comes from a sports family. His older brother, Brendan Smith, also plays ice hockey for the Dallas Stars. His other brother, Rory Smith, is a professional lacrosse player.

Early Life and Family

Reilly Smith was born on April 1, 1991, in Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada. His parents are Lester and Deirdre Smith.

Sports run in the Smith family. His older brother, Brendan, plays ice hockey for the Dallas Stars. His brother Rory plays in the National Lacrosse League (NLL). All three brothers played minor hockey together in their hometown of Mimico. They also played for the St. Michael's Buzzers junior team.

Playing Career

Amateur Hockey Years

Smith (left) playing for the RedHawks in February 2011

As a young player, Smith played junior hockey for the Toronto Nationals and St. Michael's College School. He was a leader on his team, serving as both captain and assistant captain. In his last season with St. Michael's, he was named their Most Valuable Player. He scored 75 points that year.

Before starting college, Smith won a bronze medal at the 2008 World Junior A Challenge. The Dallas Stars then drafted him in the third round of the 2009 NHL Draft.

Smith began playing for the Miami University's RedHawks in college. He studied sport studies. He found college hockey very fast, but he still scored 20 points in his first year. He was also invited to try out for Canada's National Junior Team.

In his second year, Smith had a fantastic season. He scored 54 points in 38 games. He was one of the best young players in the country for goals and points. Because of his great play, he received many awards. These included being named to the All-Florida College Classic Team and the first team all-CCHA.

Smith continued his success in his third year. He scored a career-high 30 goals in 39 games. He was even a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, which is given to the best college hockey player.

Professional Hockey Journey

Dallas Stars

On March 25, 2012, Smith decided to leave college early to play professional hockey. He signed a three-year contract with the Dallas Stars. He played his first NHL game on March 28, 2012, against the Edmonton Oilers.

After training camp in 2012, Smith played for the Texas Stars, Dallas's minor league team. He scored his first NHL goal on February 15, 2013, against the Vancouver Canucks. He scored another goal a few days later. His good play earned him a spot on one of Dallas's top lines. He played in 28 games for Dallas that season, scoring six points.

Boston Bruins

Smith playing for the Bruins in April 2014

In July 2013, Smith was part of a big trade between Dallas and the Boston Bruins. He, along with three other players, went to Boston. In return, Dallas received Tyler Seguin and two other players.

Smith started on the Bruins' third line. But due to injuries on the team, he moved up to a top line. He had a great first season with Boston, scoring 19 goals and 30 assists. Fans even voted him the "7th Player" award. This award goes to the player who most exceeded expectations that season.

The next year, Smith continued to play well. He scored 13 goals and 27 assists. He also added four goals and an assist in 12 playoff games.

Florida Panthers

On July 1, 2015, the Bruins traded Smith to the Florida Panthers. In his first season with the Panthers, Smith set a new personal record with 50 points in 82 games. He was one of the team's top goal scorers.

On July 3, 2016, Smith signed a five-year contract extension with the Panthers. However, he later said he had a "disappointing year" in the 2016–17 season. He scored 15 goals and 22 assists that year.

Vegas Golden Knights

On June 21, 2017, Smith was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights. This happened during the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft. The Panthers traded him because of salary cap issues. His teammate, Jonathan Marchessault, also joined the Golden Knights.

Smith started the 2017–18 season on a line with William Karlsson and Marchessault. This line quickly became one of the team's best. By January, Smith was a key player on the first line. In February, he was named an NHL Third Star of the Month for scoring 20 points in 14 games. Smith finished the regular season with a career-high 60 points. The Golden Knights made it all the way to the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals in their first year! Smith scored five goals and 17 assists in the playoffs.

After his best season, Smith continued to play well. He had the second-best season of his career, scoring over 50 points again. On October 11, 2018, he scored his 100th NHL goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Later that season, he played in his 500th NHL game. The Golden Knights made the playoffs again.

In the 2019–20 season, Smith scored a career-high 27 goals in 71 games. This was before the season paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Golden Knights made a deep playoff run that year.

In 2021, Smith was named an alternate captain for the Golden Knights. On May 9, 2021, he scored his first professional hat-trick in a game against the St. Louis Blues.

On July 13, 2022, Smith signed a new three-year contract to stay with the Golden Knights.

By the 2022–23 season, Smith was one of only six original Golden Knights players left on the team. The team reached the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals for the second time. They won the Stanley Cup by beating the Florida Panthers in five games. Smith and four other original Golden Knights started the final game.

Pittsburgh Penguins

On June 28, 2023, the Golden Knights traded Smith to the Pittsburgh Penguins. This trade helped the Golden Knights keep another player. In his first game with the Penguins in the 2023–24 season, Smith scored a quick goal.

New York Rangers

On July 1, 2024, Smith was traded again, this time to the New York Rangers.

Medal record
Ice hockey
Representing  Canada East
World Junior A Challenge
Bronze	2008 Camrose

Career Statistics

Awards and Honours