Confirmed Trade: [VGK/NYR] Reilly Smith (50% retained) for Brendan Brisson and 2025 3rd round pick

[TheBeard]

There goes the most prolific first rounder to ever play for Vegas

 

[BKarchitect]

It’s the SHARKS 3rd rounder, so basically a 2nd.

Yeah so basically your standard rental fee here. It’s not a 2nd even if it’s close so the Knights had to add a project prospect about to age out of true prospect status. I think their comfort with Smith may have let them feel fine about going slightly over the top of a “late 2nd” straight across.

 

[theslatcher]

Vegas fans are gonna love this lol. If there's one thing they hate more than the Sharks it's original inaugural players (Golden Misfits) being traded away. Getting one back is gonna hype em up.

Brisson was on track to, at best, become a middle 6 secondary scoring player for Vegas. I don't see him ending up much more than that with the NYR but who knows? Maybe playing for a storied franchise will serve as motivation.

More like they're lucky if he ends up in the middle 6.

 

[JKG33]

Both Smith and Brisson have really fallen off from what their value was 2 years ago

 

[GRob83]

Smith back to Vegas, Gourde back to Tampa, its nostalgia time.

So, are the Capitals getting Forsberg?

 

[doomscroll]

So the Rangers basically exchange a 2025 5th and a ‘27 2nd for Brisson and the Sharks’ very early ‘25 3rd.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Eh that's a generous interpretation of what Brisson is at this point.

Trading a 2027 2nd for Brisson and a 2025 3rd (basically what the NYR did) is nice, but Brisson has had a horrid season this year. 19 points in 45 games in the AHL as a 22/23 year old is terrible out of a former 1st round pick.

I get your point, but it's basically one bad year and he's only 23. Every other year has been sort of reasonable. He might only be like a 13F or 14F, but good organizational depth, at least. Hard to believe this year becomes the trend. Players sometimes just have bad years (maybe he's injured or having some personal issue or whatever). And there's a chance he could bounce back and makes the NHL as like a middle six forward.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Damn solid return for a player who has been a mediocre malcontent ever since being traded away from Vegas.

Now for him to become the model teammate with Vegas again...

He's been pretty good with the Rangers so definitely still has it.

 

[doomscroll]

I don’t think acquiring Brisson is some coup, but the Silver Knights have been anemic offensively, and the two-best +/- on the team are +2 and +1. I would think his weak season could be attributed in-part to the team as a whole being a disaster.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I fail to see how this is anything other than a good deal for the Rangers. Maybe Vegas exceeds the Rangers in total games played from this point forward (on Smith's current expiring contract). It's of course possible that Brisson gets 5 games or less the rest of his career and the 3rd round pick the Rangers got amounts to no better than that. In that case, Vegas got a good depth player for basically no one that plays NHL games.

On the other hand, I think there's a chance that Brisson could bounce back and be an NHL regular (it's far from a long shot just because he had a bad season, probably like 40/60), and then an early third has value. I would've taken like a mid 3rd for Smith, so getting an early 3rd and a prospect with some NHL potential is a great return.

Can Brisson play center or he's only going to make it in the NHL as a winger?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He's been pretty good with the Rangers so definitely still has it.

Truly don't get why all these Pens fans have been pushing all season that Smith is struggling with us just because it went poorly for them.

He's obviously not the player he once was (what do you expect for a guy that turns 34 in a few weeks?), but he can play in the NHL and has not at any point this season been the problem with our team. Doesn't do a lot that gets your attention. He can play a regular shift in a depth role. Should be good for their third line. I would've been okay with keeping Smith. It's not like he's Lindgren (where he's playing very poorly), but we're in a position where we're trading expiring UFA's, so that meant he was gonna be traded.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Brisson is an absolute bust in my mind. Imo there is no context, explanation or justification for a forward drafted in the 1st round half a decade ago putting up that kind of statline in the American league.

I mean, the Rangers obviously weren't getting a great prospect and a pick for a rental Reilly Smith...but i'd have opted for a late 2nd instead of him and a 3rd if that was on the table.

But at least it's the Sharks' 3rd. That on it's own would have been acceptable as well for Smith.

 

[BurnsWhenIPee]

Didn't realize Brisson fell off so hard. Thought he was a good prospect a couple of years ago.

 

[Hale The Villain]

People obviously haven't been paying attention to Brisson's decline/stagnation. He's not worth anything at this point. Just a throw in.

Smith doesn't move the needle much but for only a 3rd it's fine. Vegas already went full Tampa Bay last trade deadline so they can't compete for the top rentals.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Truly don't get why all these Pens fans have been pushing all season that Smith is struggling with us just because it went poorly for them.

He's obviously not the player he once was (what do you expect for a guy that turns 34 in a few weeks?), but he can play in the NHL and has not at any point this season been the problem with our team. Doesn't do a lot that gets your attention. He can play a regular shift in a depth role. Should be good for their third line. I would've been okay with keeping Smith. It's not like he's Lindgren (where he's playing very poorly), but we're in a position where we're trading expiring UFA's, so that meant he was gonna be traded.

This is another one of those things where we got him a year too late. Would have loved him last year instead of Wheeler.

 

[HanSolo]

More like they're lucky if he ends up in the middle 6.

Well I said that was best case, so...yeah.

 

[Djp]

Smith back to Vegas, Gourde back to Tampa, its nostalgia time.

Sounds so much like a flo erd ling..
.

 

[Rudy Russo]

Didn't realize Brisson fell off so hard. Thought he was a good prospect a couple of years ago.

He was great at Michigan but maybe a change will be good for him.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

Damn, i thought brisson was breaking out since he was great in preseason. Good for the rags

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

This is another one of those things where we got him a year too late. Would have loved him last year instead of Wheeler.

Low key all the Drury trades since last season ended have kind of worked out.

Trading for Smith-W
Trading Trouba-Massive W
Trading Kakko-W/W for both teams
Trading for JTM-Massive W
Trading Lindgren-W/Massive W
Trading Smith-W

 

[LeProspector]

Brisson’s value at this point comes solely from the fact he was a former first rounder.

We’ll see if he can turn it around though.

 

[CommaSynapse]

I'm happy with that return. I was hoping for one decent pick, so the Sharks' 3rd is solid enough for Smith.

Brisson may have stagnated a bit, but Drury seems to have an interest in picking up those stagnated players (Kaliyev, Parssinen, Vaak, Borgen, now Brisson). for another opportunity. So far, Borgen's the only one that's stuck, but some of the others are still fairly new.

Looks win-win.

 

[Voight]

I swear Brisson was Vegas last notable prospect

Anyhow, good trade for them. Kid doesn't look like hes going anywhere and he wouldn't be of much help for them anytime soon.

 

[Machinehead]

I guess

 

[The Duck Knight]

I fail to see how this is anything other than a good deal for the Rangers. Maybe Vegas exceeds the Rangers in total games played from this point forward (on Smith's current expiring contract). It's of course possible that Brisson gets 5 games or less the rest of his career and the 3rd round pick the Rangers got amounts to no better than that. In that case, Vegas got a good depth player for basically no one that plays NHL games.

On the other hand, I think there's a chance that Brisson could bounce back and be an NHL regular (it's far from a long shot just because he had a bad season, probably like 40/60), and then an early third has value. I would've taken like a mid 3rd for Smith, so getting an early 3rd and a prospect with some NHL potential is a great return.

Can Brisson play center or he's only going to make it in the NHL as a winger?

Zero chance Brisson ever plays center at the NHL level. He's got an NHL shot and nothing else. He's small, not fast, not physical, not a playmaker. His best attribute will be sitting at the dot on the PP and one timing pucks.