Back in 2015, the Panthers acquired Reilly Smith in exchange for big forward Jimmy Hayes. Smith quickly became a staple on Florida’s second line. With a career best 25 goals in his first year in Sunrise, his scoring impact became apparent quickly. However, although still an important part of the team, his production dropped sharply during the 2016-17 campaign.
In hindsight, the Panthers still won the 2015 trade. Hayes only managed to score 2 goals last year (with 13 the year before); compared to 15 and 25 for Smith. Nevertheless, Reilly’s numbers were going in the wrong direction and his 5-year, 25 million dollar contract put him on Florida’s trade block.