LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Vegas Golden Knights made their first move of deadline week Tuesday, acquiring winger Cole Smith from Nashville as the team looks to strengthen its depth ahead of Friday’s NHL trade deadline.
Vegas sent a 2028 third-round draft pick and defenseman prospect Cristoffer Sedoff to Nashville in the deal.
WATCH | Vegas Golden Knights acquire Cole Smith from Nashville
Smith, 30, has 10 points in 43 games this season and 62 career points in five NHL seasons — all with Nashville. At 6-foot-3, he brings size and physicality to the Golden Knights’ bottom six while also providing penalty-kill minutes.
But the value Smith brings may extend beyond what appears on the stat sheet.
“Cole Smith is a guy that’s going to give you the stuff that doesn’t appear on stat sheets,” said Jack Williams, a Nashville-based writer for The Hockey News and host of the Locked On Predators Podcast.
Smith carved out his NHL role the hard way. The winger went undrafted, signed out of college and worked his way up through the minor leagues before becoming a regular in Nashville’s lineup.
“He signed out of college, started all the way down in the ECHL and had to work his way up into the NHL,” Williams, who previously covered the Golden Knights in Las Vegas, said. “He does have that underdog mentality and that effort to work hard and get to where he deserves.”
Vegas is hoping that mentality translates well to a roster with Stanley Cup aspirations. The Golden Knights remain among the contenders in the Western Conference and are looking for depth players who can withstand the physical demands of a long playoff run.
“You have your All-Stars that are obviously going to push the way — your Jack Eichels, your Mark Stones,” Williams said. “But at the same time, you need those bigger guys that are going to be able to take pushes here and there and add a depth scoring push further down the lineup.”
Smith could also be a natural fit in coach Bruce Cassidy’s system, which emphasizes physical play and responsible two-way hockey.
“Cole Smith definitely brings that physicality,” Williams said. “He’s one of those bigger forwards you throw into the lineup, and that kind of gels with what Bruce Cassidy looks for in having a physical team.”
Smith joined the Golden Knights in Detroit and suited up for his Vegas debut less than 24 hours after the trade.
His addition may not be the blockbuster move fans have come to expect from Vegas at the trade deadline, but it addresses a clear need as injuries have tested the team’s forward depth.
And it may not be the last move the Golden Knights make before Friday’s noon deadline.
With center William Karlsson still sidelined and the team continuing to evaluate its roster, Vegas could still explore additional options to bolster its lineup for another postseason run.
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