LAS VEGAS — Reilly Smith’s phone began blowing up around 4 am on Wednesday, with non-stop text messages.
A viral video from comedian Will Burkart hit social media late Tuesday, with the Vegas Golden Knights’ left wing sitting front and center during a recent show.
The punchline: Burkart had no clue who he had just called out.
Burkart: “What’s your name sir?”
Smith: “Reilly.”
Burkart: “Are you working during the week?”
Smith: “Not in the summer”
Burkart: “Are you a teacher?”
Smith: “I’m not”
Burkart: “You’re not, silly me. What kind of job do you have?”
Smith: “I’m a hockey player.”
Burkart: “Who do you play hockey for? Is this like a… how high are we?”
At that point, as it will be opening night against the Los Angeles Kings on Oct. 8, the crowd immediately cheered in unison: “Go Knights Go! Go Knights Go!”
With the 34-year-old wearing a coy smile that had a “yep, that’s me” all over it and his proud wife, Melissa, smiling ear-to-ear during the exchange, Burkart told Smith, who signed a one-year, $2 million extension this offseason to stay with the Knights, he was honored to have him in his audience.
Of course, the moment wouldn’t have been complete if Smith hadn’t pulled out his teeth when the comedian asked if his choppers were still intact.
Nevertheless, Burkart commended Smith for downplaying his celebrity status when initially being called out, remaining lowkey.
But that’s Smith. One of the most genuine professional athletes to ever represent Southern Nevada, and someone who will long be known as a fan favorite since first joining the Knights via trade during the 2017 expansion draft.
Always has been.
“Thankfully, there were a lot of other members in the crowd who did recognize me, so I didn’t have to talk too much; they filled in a lot of the gaps,” Smith said during a phone interview with The Hockey News. “I’m grateful that the people in this community are … everyone here in Vegas has always been so nice and kind.
“They never ask for anything. They’re always just, ‘It’s really nice to meet you. Didn’t want to bother you.’ It’s always been very nice and very kind in this community, in this market. So, me and my whole family, we’re very grateful for the people that we’re able to live around, and it’s been awesome. Just a lot of really nice people in this community, and we’re very thankful to be living here.”
After being shipped to Pittsburgh two weeks after the Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup in 2023, and then later to the Rangers, things were different for Smith.
While his production slipped, as he registered just 69 points in 134 games combined with the two franchises, it was more than that.
The Smiths knew the inner glow they got from the place where the veteran’s star shone brightly, and the city where they brought their first child into the world, had dullened.
Las Vegas had become home, and that hadn’t changed, regardless of the sweater he wore on game nights.
Thus, after returning at the deadline last season, Smith said it was nice to get his extension out of the way this summer, as he enters his 15th NHL season, knowing he won’t have to move Melissa and their two daughters: Isla, age 2, and Navy, age 1.
“It’s really nice,” said Smith, who’s played in 919 games and has his 1,000th-game milestone in sight, provided he stays healthy this year. “It was a big selling point on signing a contract here, having a no-trade part of that. My whole family loves it here. I love how much my kids enjoy it here. I feel like they’re just outside so much more and just enjoying life a little bit better.
“So, for me as a dad, that’s probably the highlight of everything for me. There’s other parts of staying here that are unbelievable. The commute to work every day, and the people that I met eight, nine years ago, they’re still in the organization, and being able to see those faces all the time, not just the players, but also the staff members that do a lot of work behind the scenes. Everyone has gone way above in making this feel like home for us. So, to be able to stay here for another year, it’s pretty special.”
As he’s gotten older, Smith said he’s learned how to do contextualize different aspects of his career, like being traded as a family man as opposed to being a younger player.
And from a mental health aspect?
“That’s why I go to comedy shows, keep everything light,” Smith said with a laugh. “But in the grand scheme of things, (being settled with family) makes your life more full. The traveling part is the hardest part. If you have kids, you got to put them into a new school, you have to find new friends for them. There’s just so many different aspects.
“Playing on three different teams in the last two years, there’s a lot of that movement, and there’s a lot of stuff away from just playing hockey that you have to focus on and think about. And then, even at that, if you’re not playing probably up to what you expect of yourself, there is a little bit of added doubt that comes in there. I think I’ve learned over many years and many trades that you just have to take it one day at a time, and every day is not going to be your best day, but tomorrow can be better.”
Smith, who has 553 career points, has 297 points in 420 games with the Golden Knights.
During the postseason, Smith has 70 points for the Golden Knights, including 14 during the championship run in 2023, when he was the second player to hoist the Stanley Cup after captain Mark Stone.
“I think I’ve realized over the last couple of years, playing on different teams, it’s hard to make the playoffs, and teams want to do that every single year,” Smith said. “I was very fortunate to play on this Knights team that we made the playoffs pretty much every single year, and everything was kind of easy. And then you can get moved to a different team for whatever reason, and things aren’t as easy, but you’re expected to win. You’re not, and it takes a toll, not just on yourself, but on everyone in the organization, top to bottom.
“So those little pressures can add up, and they can turn on your mind a little bit. And it’s easy to get down on yourself. It’s nice to have a good support system around you, whether it be you know your wife, your kids, your family, your extended family, and friends. Because when teams aren’t winning, it’s easy to go down a little bit of a dark turn.”
With Vegas general manager Kelly McCrimmon pulling off the biggest acquisition of the offseason, luring Mitch Marner from Toronto, the Knights are once again one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup.
Smith figures to play a prominent role, again, as he did in the team’s first run to the Cup Final in 2017 and during the title run in 2023.
“I think expectations as a team are always sky high,” Smith said. “Winning a cup a few years ago shows us that this group can do it. That expectation wasn’t created a couple of years ago. It’s been there for a while, and I don’t think it’s going to change anytime soon, especially how management pushes to get better every single year.”
Aside from being 81 games away from the 1000th of his career, Smith could potentially reach the 600-point plateau, being just 47 away. He’s most certain to get his 300th point as a member of the Knights.
But just as humble as Smith was in the front row of Burkart’s recent comedy show, one of Vegas’ original beloved misfits downplayed the notion of personal gains for the upcoming season, as he’s looking forward to contributing in whatever way coach Bruce Cassidy asks of him.
“I think personally, I try my best just to think of the season as just, let’s enjoy every day,” he said. “Let’s have very optimistic mindset and in the process, getting better. Now, there’s personal things that I want to get to, and those would be great, but I think if you put yourself in a positive mindset where you’re really enjoying every day, it kind of takes care of itself, and one kind of pushes the other one.
“And so there are a lot of things to love about being back here in this organization, and I just want to soak it all in and take it day by day and just enjoy the ride and see where we’re at, at the end of season.”
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