Rangers training camp is well underway, with the first exhibition game scheduled for Sunday night and a new face on the right wing of Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad.
Like clockwork, Reilly Smith was acquired from the Penguins on July 1 to fill a void that has been occupied by several other faces — new and old — over eight years.
There’s no need to count them anymore, or list their names. Everybody knows it’s an extensive list of players of all different skills and backgrounds.
Is that at all intimidating to Smith as he prepares to make his Blueshirts debut?
“I don’t think so,” he told The Post after an intrasquad scrimmage with the non-game group Sunday. “They’re obviously tremendously skilled players and there’s players who have had success [with them], but success kind of rides in waves in the NHL. Sometimes, it’s hard to keep that for a full season.
“My job here is just to play it game by game and do what I can. If I’m playing with them, or anyone else, my goal is to try and help the team win.”
In all likelihood, Smith will open the 2024-25 season as RW1.
The challenge that comes with joining two players who have been skating on a line together for years, he said, is reading off them quickly.
Chemistry isn’t going to develop overnight, but Smith said he’s trying to be diligent about being aware of what Kreider and Zibanejad are doing, what they’re trying to do and what they’re thinking out on the ice. So far, Smith said he thinks the two are reading well off him.
“They’re two unbelievable players,” Smith said. “I think their body of work over their career speaks for itself. Anyone in this locker room is a joy to be able to play with them. Whether it’s those two guys or anyone else, I’m going to do my best to complement their game.”
Smith had a long summer after the Penguins didn’t make the playoffs last season, during which the 33-year-old posted 13 goals and 27 assists in 76 games. Just one season prior, Smith was hoisting the Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights as one of the organization’s first members.
On the first day of training camp, he expressed excitement to join a competitive team like the Rangers.
“I think my role is contingent on how I play, and it can be ever expanding with what I can bring to the table,” Smith said. “You try to put your best product on the ice and try to mesh with guys as quickly as possible. There’s a lot of new people, and we’re trying to add a lot of structure in.”
The expectation is for Smith to join the Rangers’ No.3-ranked penalty kill from last season, which is a key part of the Ontario native’s game.
Like a few Rangers PKers, Smith has spent a lot of time on the power play in his career and credits that for his shorthanded success. Over the course of 13 seasons, he’s collected 13 shorthanded goals. The Rangers had eight as a team last season.
“I love playing the extra minutes on the penalty kill,” he said. “I think it helps me, for sure. I like being able to create offense on the penalty kill, as well. Last year was tough not getting the amount of minutes that I was used to. Hopefully I get that opportunity here and I can run with it. Playing against the Rangers last year, they created — at least against us — as much offense as we did on the power play. It’s exciting to be able to join that group and a penalty kill that’s also offensive minded.”
The 13-year NHL veteran is also not the first in his family to walk the MSG Training Center halls.
His brother, Brendan Smith, spent parts of five seasons in New York. He’s now entering his first season with the Dallas Stars. Naturally, the two conversed about the elder brother’s time with the Rangers, and Reilly actually got to know Kreider through Brendan.
“He always mentioned the Rangers being a world-class organization and looking after not only yourself, but also your family and just the day-to-day lifestyle,” Smith said. “Things that can be a little tricky by being a professional athlete. He always had great things to say about this organization.”
