The Vegas Golden Knights are gearing up for another run at the Stanley Cup. Vegas signed Mitch Marner after acquiring him from the Toronto Maple Leafs in a sign-and-trade. This is the team’s big move in NHL Free Agency. However, they did also re-sign an important depth piece in veteran winger Reilly Smith.
Smith joined Vegas at the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline. But this is an organization he knows quite well. He was an original “Golden Misfit,” playing in the Sin City from 2017 until 2023. Of course, during this time, he won the Stanley Cup in Vegas.
He certainly hopes to win it all again in 2026. However, there is a more personal achievement on the horizon for the 34-year-old winger. And it’s a milestone he can reach as early as the 2025-26 regular season.
Smith has skated in 919 games in his long career. If he plays 81 games in 2025-26, he will skate in his 1000th NHL game. The Golden Knights star does not dwell on individual achievements. But he did admit in a recent interview that he hopes to achieve this feat this season and with this team.
“Yeah. It’s going to have to be a very healthy season. Going to have to work on my flexibility and make sure that I’m not letting anything flare up. That’s exciting for me. I know it’s a hard thing to achieve later in your career for sure,” said Smith, via team reporter Gary Lawless. “It’s something that I definitely want to be able to do this year. It’d be nice to do that in this jersey. It’s one of those individual goals that you don’t really think about. But if you get there, it says a lot about just what you’re able to do in your career.”
Reilly Smith Reveals When 1000 Game Milestone Became Real
Bruce Bennett/Getty ImagesVegas Golden Knights star Reilly Smith has established himself as an early franchise icon.
Smith is not one to get caught up in individual accomplishments. He is focused on winning the Stanley Cup with this team. But he is looking to play 1000 games. It’s a rare feat that only five percent of NHL players have ever achieved.
The Golden Knights star revealed he never thought it possible. At least, that was until a few years ago. That’s when the idea started becoming a possibility in his mind.
“It hasn’t been until maybe a year or two ago where I thought maybe there’s a possibility that I could get to a thousand games because there’s a lot of luck that’s involved too. Injuries are always something that derails that goal. I still have a really long way to go and try not to think about it too much. I think the whole experience of being able to play that many games is about the journey that you really want to relish and enjoy,” Smith told Lawless.
Golden Knights Ready to Compete in Western Conference
Smith should be an important part of the Golden Knights this upcoming season. He may not be one of the main driving forces of this offense. Marner and Jack Eichel are the two-headed monster looking to generate offense for this team.
In saying this, he should play an important depth role. He knows what it’s like to win in Vegas. And he can use his experience to help this team when the going gets tough. Smith can still provide some offense of his own, as well.
Vegas is in a position to make noise in the Western Conference. And they could easily represent the West in the 2026 Stanley Cup Final. The Golden Knights make their 2025-26 season debut on October 8th against the Los Angeles Kings.
Golden Knights Star Eyeing Major Milestone in 2025-26