The Smiths were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1982. Morrissey, Johnny Marr, Andy Rourke, Mike Joyce — four guys who made something special together. But this blog isn't about them.

This is about your Vegas Golden Knights, and the very real question of who steps up to replace two of the grittiest, most valuable depth players to wear the Vegas sweater: Reilly Smith and Cole Smith.

No relation. All grit.

Reilly Smith: The Consummate Pro

If you watched Reilly Smith and only looked at the box score, you missed the point entirely.

He was the kind of player coaches love and analytics struggle to fully capture — always in the right position, always making the smart play, always doing the little things that don't show up on a highlight reel but absolutely show up in the standings. His fingerprints were all over the 2023 Stanley Cup Championship, and when Mark Karlsson went down injured last season, Reilly quietly elevated his game and delivered when the Knights needed him most.

Now, with his 1,000th NHL game on the horizon and his next sweater still undecided, Vegas has to move forward without him. That's not easy. Players like Reilly don't grow on trees — they're built over careers, refined through experience, and appreciated most when they're gone.

Cole Smith: The March Addition That Kept Giving

Cole Smith arrived in Vegas last March and immediately looked like he'd been in the system for years. His motor never stopped. His forechecking was relentless — the kind that makes opposing defensemen nervous every single time they touch the puck behind their own net.

He was a perfect fit for the Knights' system, and he proved it all the way into the Stanley Cup Finals. That's not a small thing. Plenty of deadline acquisitions disappear when the lights get brightest. Cole didn't.

Now he's in Chicago, bringing that same energy to a Blackhawks team that desperately needs it. Good for him. Tough for us.

So Who Steps Up?

This is the real question, and it doesn't have a clean answer yet.

The Knights will need someone — or more likely a combination of players — to absorb the roles these two filled. That means:

• A net-front presence and forecheck engine to replace Cole's relentless motor
• A veteran two-way forward who can be trusted in all situations the way Reilly was
• Leadership by example — the quiet, professional kind that sets the tone in the locker room

Whether that comes from a returning depth piece finding a new gear, a training camp surprise, or a front office move before the season opens remains to be seen. But the Knights have built their culture on finding those players — the ones other teams overlook, the ones who buy in completely.

The Smiths were two of the best examples of that culture. Replacing them won't happen with one move or one name. It'll happen the Vegas way — through depth, trust, and someone deciding this is their moment.

Until then, Knights fans might just find themselves humming a certain Morrissey tune.

Heaven knows we're miserable now.

But the season hasn't started yet. There's still time to prove us wrong.