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Cole Smith trade adds fourth-line juice for Golden Knights
Brad Mills-Imagn Images

Cole Smith trade adds fourth-line juice for Golden Knights

Originally posted on Dice City Sports  |  By Mark Hebert  |  Last updated Mar 4, 2026 11:04 AM ET

Vegas went shopping late Tuesday, and it came back with a familiar type: pace, contact, and penalty-kill minutes. The Golden Knights acquired forward Cole Smith from the Nashville Predators as Kelly McCrimmon looked to inject early-game energy into a group that has too often started on its heels.

Vegas hasn’t needed a spreadsheet to see it. Too many nights, the Knights spend the first 10 minutes reacting instead of dictating. Smith’s game is built to change that tone shift by shift.

Fourth-Line Fuel, Fast

Smith is expected to slide onto the fourth line when he joins the club in Detroit on Wednesday. At 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, he plays a direct game and finishes checks. More importantly, he brings a motor that can tilt a shift even when the scoreboard doesn’t move.

He also arrives with a specialty Vegas values: shorthanded work. Smith logged 2:19 of penalty-kill ice time per game in Nashville, and his 119 hits rank near the top of the Predators’ team totals.

Familiar Faces, Simple Fit

Smith’s transition should be smoother than most deadline-week adds. He spent plenty of time alongside Vegas center Colton Sissons in Nashville, and he’ll also reunite with defenseman Jeremy Lauzon.

The Price Tag

Vegas sent defense prospect Christoffer Sedoff and a third-round pick in the 2028 draft to Nashville. Smith has six goals and four assists for 10 points in 42 games this season, averaging 14:27 per night.

This article first appeared on Dice City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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