While Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon said this trade deadline was going to be a quiet one, Vegas made a splash a day before the deadline. The Golden Knights traded forward

The Rangers have completed a trade that everyone knew was coming.

Former Michigan standout forward Brendan Brisson is getting a fresh start with the New York Rangers. The Vegas Golden Knights, who drafted Brisson with the No. 29 overall selection in 2020, traded him and a third-round pick in this year’s draft to the Rangers on Thursday for forward Reilly Smith.

Reilly Smith was traded back to Vegas by the Rangers on Thursday in exchange for Brendan Brisson and a third-round draft pick in 2025 and said he felt right at home when taking the ice with the Golden Knights.

Following last season's trade deadline, where the Vegas Golden Knights scooped up two of the top players on the market, Tomas Hertl and Noah Hanifin, at the 11th hour, there was an expectation they were going to make some noise once again.

The Rangers are caught in a sort of gray area ahead of this year’s trade deadline, which is Friday at 3 p.m. Management has maintained hope these Rangers can make the playoffs this season, especially after watching them claw from the basement of the Metropolitan Division to just below the second wild-card spot over the past 2 ¹/₂ months.

Reilly Smith was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights by the New York Rangers on Thursday for forward prospect Brendan Brisson and the San Jose Sharks' third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

How did the Rangers do on deadline week? A look at all the moves and how they set up the lineup, with Baugh and Staple's early analysis.