Being placed on waivers on Sunday does not necessarily mean Craig Smith’s time is up with the Bruins.
Nick Foligno, Smith’s occasional linemate on the fourth line, is proof that being waived does not always align with the end of the line. Foligno, who was waived prior to the start of the regular season, is one of only nine players on the roster who has dressed for all 30 games.
Foligno, who is an unrestricted free agent after this season, has hit a bit of a wall. But otherwise, the veteran (five goals and nine assists, 12:05 of ice time per game) has fulfilled his responsibilities as an energy forward, second-unit net-front man on the power play and leader.
But Smith, also in his walk year, has had 17 regular-season games to show what he is made of. They have not gone as the right wing had hoped. The 33-year-old has one goal and three assists while averaging a career-low 9:51 of ice time per game. While his legs still appear relatively sprightly, Smith has barely resembled the shoot-first right wing who was a lineup fixture for his first two seasons as a Bruin.
In last year’s second half, for the most part, Smith was a good fit on the No. 3 line alongside Trent Frederic and Charlie Coyle. A year later, whether it’s been on the third or fourth line, the shoot-first Smith has been a square peg in a round hole. It appears, in retrospect, Smith’s three-year, $9.3 million contract ran a season too long.
Smith is now the fifth veteran with a legitimate NHL resume (Foligno, Mike Reilly, Anton Stralman, Chris Wagner) that the Bruins have waived. On Oct. 9, Reilly was also waived on the same day as Foligno. Like Foligno, Reilly remained with the varsity. The left-shot defenseman appeared in 10 games, recording one assist while averaging 16:44 of ice time per appearance.
One month later, Reilly was placed on waivers again. This time, the Bruins assigned the defenseman to Providence. In eight AHL games, Reilly has scored one goal and five assists. The Bruins are carrying a pro-rated $1.875 million of Reilly’s average annual value on their books while the defenseman remains in Providence awaiting a trade.
Mike Reilly. (Charles LeClaire / USA Today)
Stralman was waived after falling to No. 8 on the blue-line depth chart following Derek Forbort’s return from a broken finger. Stralman did not report to Providence. He has been training and skating at Warrior Ice Arena. Wagner has eight goals and one assist in 22 games for Providence.
Smith’s fate may be in line with the four veterans off the varsity roster rather than Foligno’s trajectory. He has simply not performed to personal or team expectations. The Bruins like their third line, which has most recently seen Frederic line up at right wing next to Coyle and Taylor Hall.
Smith did not look out of place on the fourth line next to Foligno and Tomas Nosek in Saturday’s 4-2 win over the Blue Jackets. But AJ Greer is a younger, cheaper and more physical fourth-line right wing than Smith, even if he is playing his off side. The Bruins also have Jakub Lauko as a fourth-line call-up possibility.
Smith’s age, production and price tag make him a very likely candidate for clear waivers. What happens after that is unknown. The Bruins have to be mindful of every cent. Burying Smith in Providence would allow them to claim $1.125 million in relief. They would still be responsible for a pro-rated $1.975 million in inactive money if they assign Smith to Providence.
As for a trade, perhaps Smith would see more ice time elsewhere. But with so many teams gasping for air underneath the cap, the Bruins are unlikely to receive anything of value in return. In fact, they may have to part with assets to have another team take Smith off their hands.
(Photo: Winslow Townson / USA Today)
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