Brendan Smith has a new lease on life as a versatile player for the New York Rangers. The veteran defenseman looked to be the perfect candidate for a buyout or burial in the minor leagues until Coach David Quinn started using him as a forward late last season.
While he is not a scorer, Smith is a physical player, perfectly suited for the fourth line. He was a penalty-drawing machine, leading the team with 21 one of the top figures in the league. So far this season, he has been a regular on the fourth line, switching to defense to kill penalties.