The New York Rangers won't play forward Reilly Smith on Sunday night against the Nashville Predators for roster management reasons.
Smith, 33, is a likely candidate to be traded before Friday's NHL deadline. The Rangers do not want to take a chance that he'll sustain an injury ahead of the deadline.
Smith, in his first season with the Rangers, is due to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. On Saturday, the Rangers traded Jimmy Vesey and Ryan Lindgren, who also will reach UFA status at season's end, to the Colorado Avalanche.