Brendan Smith only played 18 regular season games and 12 playoff games in a New York Rangers’ sweater, but in that time he certainly made an impact.
Just prior to the 2017 trade deadline, Smith was acquired from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a 2017 third-round pick and 2018 second-round pick (from the Ottawa Senators that the Rangers received in the Mika Zibanejad trade). The Rangers defense struggled throughout the season, so general manager Jeff Gorton sought out Smith to strengthen the blue line. Although left-handed, Smith provided the stability the Rangers craved on the right side.