Having seen enough of Brendan Smith’s inexplicable turnovers, penalties and inconsistent play, the Rangers placed the defenseman on waivers Thursday, a move that coach Alain Vigneault endorsed but thought “might be a little bit drastic.” Rookie Neal Pionk was summoned from Hartford and will make his NHL debut on Friday against Calgary.
The fall from grace for Smith, who turned 29 Thursday, is bewildering. In 18 games last season after acquiring him from Detroit for a third-round pick at the trade deadline, he played fast with smarts and an edge and gave the Rangers an option on the right side.