The Nashville Predators lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday, the identical day they traded two players. First, they sent Michael McCarron to the Minnesota Wild for a 2028 second-round pick. Then, the Predators pulled Cole Smith from the sport amid rumors connecting him with the Tampa Bay Lightning. But when the deal got done, it was the Vegas Golden Knights bringing in Cole Smith before the NHL trade deadline.
“Vegas acquires Cole Smith. For a third in 2028,” TSN’s Darren Dreger first reported.
When the Golden Knights announced the trade, there was an extra piece involved. Vegas sent AHL defenseman Christoffer Sedoff to the Predators within the deal.
🔄 TRADE ALERT 🔄
The Golden Knights have acquired forward Cole Smith from the Nashville Predators in exchange for Christoffer Sedoff and a 2028 third-round pick.
More details: https://t.co/PPXKtDIQRg#VegasBorn pic.twitter.com/Su7aHLb44i
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) March 4, 2026
Smith has never scored greater than nine goals in a season, and he only has ten points this 12 months. But his size and physicality on the wings are attractive to playoff-bound teams. At $1 million against the cap for the remainder of this season, it’s a low-risk bet for the Golden Knights.
The Lightning were poking around on Smith, which implies they’re on the lookout for toughness and depth on the deadline. They struck out on the primary two guys dealt from Nashville, but there are plenty more options where that got here from. Vancouver Canucks forwards Drew O’Connor or David Kampf could help fill that role if Tampa desires to pay the value.
The Golden Knights lost to the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday. They are actually 3-6-2 of their last 11 games, dating back to before the Olympic break. With the Anaheim Geese soaring up the standings, Vegas needed a shakeup before Friday’s deadline. Will Smith be their last move, or will Vegas make one other move before Friday?