New York Rangers: Finding a spot for Brendan Smith next season

The 2017-18 season was a disaster for Brendan Smith. However, he could have a chance to make right on his shortcomings with a new look New York Rangers roster.

Add another name to the list of question marks surrounding the New York Rangers defensive group.

Brendan Smith and his lost 2017-18 campaign are quietly one of the biggest failures for the franchise. His disappearing act created a large hole in the Rangers’ defense, which already lacked the depth to begin with.

Now, drastic changes to the roster may have created an opportunity for redemption for the 29-year old defenseman. Outside of Brady Skjei, Kevin Shattenkirk, and Marc Staal, the team’s defense is very much in limbo.

What Smith can still offer the team

Jeff Gorton admitted that the team’s toughness would be an area addressed over the offseason. As it stands, inserting Brendan Smith back into the Rangers’ lineup would give them their most practical “tough” player without any extra charge.

Part of the reason the Smith was acquired at the 2017 trade deadline was his hard-nosed playing style on the back end. The impact was immediate, Smith became a tone-setter on the ice during their short 2017 playoff run. In a potential return to Madison Square Garden, Smith’s ability to keep opponents uncomfortable would be important.

Smith, a left-handed player, also has played large portions of his career on the right side of his defensive pair. Despite the Rangers sudden plethora of right-handed defensemen, having a player capable of playing both sides of the blue line is valuable for a head coach when assessing matchups.

Finally, Smith’s underrated advantage heading into next season will be his experience. At 29 years old, the former 2017 first round pick would be the second oldest member of the Rangers’ defensive group. In eight NHL seasons, Smith has played in 353 regular season and 39 playoff games.

The more likely scenario

This offseason is about making moves for the future of the organization. In the process, the Rangers’ front office has made a concerted effort to make the team younger and more offensive minded. Unfortunately for Brendan Smith, he does little to meet either of those criteria.

It is more than likely that the Jeff Gorton will do his best to find a potential suitor for Smith during the NHL draft. Given Smith’s track record prior to his disaster 2017-18 season, management should be able to retrieve a mid-to-late round pick in exchange for the once reliable defenseman.

With an annual cap hit of $4.35-million, Smith should not simply be buried in the American Hockey League. Not to mention the influx of young talent headed to the Hartford Wolfpack following a busy trade deadline. At worst, a package deal is in order to get Smith’s contract off of the Rangers’ roster.

Next: What do the Rangers do with Boo?

In a way, Smith is a casualty of the poorly oiled machine that was the Alain Vigneault-ran 2017-18 Rangers. Ultimately, his days as an NHL defenseman may not be coming to an end. However, it is likely that we have seen the last of any meaningful hockey out of Brendan Smith in a New York Rangers jersey.

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