Reilly Smith Stays Positive While The Cup Final Passes Him By

Reilly Smith is not in the Golden Knights lineup for the Cup Final, but his tone is staying upbeat, which is usually half the battle in a room this tense. NHL.com’s framing makes it clear this is about more than one lineup decision, because players never stop measuring themselves against the biggest stage. Veterans know how quickly a playoff run can become a personal referendum. Smith may be out of the lineup, but he is still part of the emotional temperature of this series.