Why the Maple Leafs Probably Won’t Want Reilly Smith

Reilly Smith just turned in a perfectly solid season with 16 goals and 26 points in 69 games for the Vegas Golden Knights on a cheap one-year deal. At first glance, that looks like a nice low-risk veteran option for a team like the Toronto Maple Leafs looking for middle-six help. He’s a known commodity, still finds the net, and doesn’t need big minutes.

And yet a lot of teams are keeping their distance. The reason is simple and a little brutal: he’s 35.

Hockey Can Age Players Quickly

Hockey is not kind to players once they hit their mid-to-late 30s. The game demands constant explosive skating, quick direction changes, and the ability to absorb and deliver contact night after night. By the time a player reaches 34 or 35, even the ones who are still producing goals often start losing a step in areas that don’t show up as cleanly on the scoresheet. The decline often shows up in recovery between shifts, defensive gap control, consistency over 82 games, and a loss of that extra gear in the third period.

The data backs this up. Multiple aging-curve studies on NHL players show the same pattern: most skaters peak somewhere between 24 and 28. There’s a gradual slide in the late 20s, and then the decline tends to get steeper after 30–32. By 34–35, the risk of a sharper drop rises significantly. Forwards usually feel it first in their speed and offensive creation. The ones who stay productive that late are the exceptions, not the rule.