Rangers holding Reilly Smith out vs. Predators with another trade likely coming

Join Post Sports+ for exciting member-only features, including real-time texting with Mollie Walker about the inside buzz on the Rangers.The Rangers’ trade-deadline picture continues to come into focus.Reilly Smith will be held out of the Blueshirts’ matchup with the Predators Sunday night at Madison Square Garden for roster management purposes, according to a source.

That’s a usual indication that a trade is either on the horizon or in the works.It’s the first step toward the Rangers’ second move of the week, after president and general manager Chris Drury traded Ryan Lindgren, Jimmy Vesey and prospect Hank Kempf to Colorado on Saturday in exchange for Juuso Parssinen, Calvin de Haan, a second-rounder and a fourth-rounder in this year’s NHL draft.The Rangers are not in a position to be letting their impending free agents walk for nothing, so players on expiring contracts like Vesey and Lindgren were prioritized.Pittsburgh traded Smith to the Rangers in July in exchange for a conditional fifth-round pick this year and a second-round pick in 2027.He is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the conclusion of this season at age 34.Over 58 games with the Rangers, Smith has collected 10 goals and 19 assists....