Boston Bruins Could Reunite with Former Player in Trade Market
With the NHL announcing a slight salary cap increase to $88 million for next season, the Boston Bruins now have just under $23 million to enhance their roster. General Manager Don Sweeney is on the lookout for a skilled center, a scoring forward, and a left-shot defenseman. The top-six center is the highest priority and the toughest to acquire, prompting the Bruins to consider more affordable trade market options. One such option is former Bruins right wing Reilly Smith, whom the Pittsburgh Penguins are reportedly interested in trading. A return to Boston could be in the cards for Smith.
Smith, originally a third-round pick in the 2009 NHL Draft by Dallas, was traded to Boston on July 4, 2013, as part of the Tyler Seguin deal. During his two seasons with the Bruins, Smith tallied 33 goals and 58 assists over 163 regular-season games and scored four goals in 12 playoff games. Despite his promising performance, Smith was traded to Florida on July 1, 2015, along with Marc Savard’s contract, in exchange for Jimmy Hayes—one of Sweeney’s most criticized trades.
After accumulating 87 points in two seasons with Florida, Smith moved to Vegas, where he played a crucial role in their 2023 Stanley Cup run. Over his 13-season career, the Mimico, Ontario native has recorded 213 goals and 300 assists in 840 regular-season games and 79 points in 106 postseason games. Known as a reliable two-way forward, Smith could provide Boston with valuable bottom-six veteran depth.
The main challenge could be Smith’s contract. Boston is unlikely to want to pay $5 million for Smith next season, given his 13-goal performance this year. However, if Pittsburgh retains part of his salary, a deal might be feasible. A potential scenario could involve Boston trading a third-round pick while Pittsburgh retains $2 million of Smith’s salary, leaving Boston with a $3 million cap hit. While there were concerns about Smith’s satisfaction in Boston during the 2015 rebuild, the current Bruins regime and leadership are different.
As the Bruins evaluate their options, Reilly Smith could reemerge as a familiar face ready for a new beginning in Boston.
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