Rangers to Scratch Reilly Smith for Roster Management Reasons

The Rangers made headlines less than 24 hours ago by shipping Ryan Lindgren and Jimmy Vesey to Colorado in exchange for a combination of players and draft capital but could be far from finished. As the team took to the ice for morning skate, it appears that Reilly Smith will be held out of the lineup for roster management reasons.

Whether or not a trade is imminent, it does appear that Reilly Smith's time with the Rangers is nearing its end. The 33-year old winger who already has his name on the Stanley Cup from his time in Vegas will likely be a highly coveted name for contending teams to attempt to acquire prior to the official trade deadline this coming Friday.

The Rangers could be wise to take their time with this. The longer they entertain offers, the more restless potential buyers could grow which would only help Chris Drury get the type of return he wants. Which brings us to the big question regarding Reilly Smith. It isn't a matter of whether or not he'll be traded, it's a matter of what type of return will Drury look to get. Is he targeting an upgrade on defense? More draft picks? More prospects or younger professionals that could be along for the long haul? Will he package another player, like K'Andre Miller to try and make a bigger move?

Definitely a number of directions the Rangers could go here but all signs certainly point to Smith being the next to go. In 58 games this season, Smith picked up 10 goals and 19 assists for a total of 29 points. On paper, he's a player that did mostly everything he was supposed to upon being traded to the Rangers last summer. He was brought on to be that right-winger they've been looking for at the last couple of years, provide some secondary scoring and bring helpful experience to another playoff run.

Unfortunately, the team did not have the type of year they needed to which not only leaves their playoff aspirations in jeopardy, but leaves them in a position that doesn't label Smith as a necessary part of their lineup. As an expiring UFA this summer, it makes the most sense for the Rangers to look to get something in return for him.

As they prepare to take on the Nashville Predators tonight, here's what we're looking at for a lineup without Reilly Smith:

Additional Loose Ends

• The Rangers did move Chris Kreider to IR that is retroactive to the start of the injury, meaning he can be activated whenever. It was also noted that this injury is not a back injury nor a setback, just taking longer than expected to bounce back from.
• In a corresponding move, they recalled Brett Berard who judging by the morning skate lines, will slot in on the fourth line with Sam Carrick and Matt Rempe.