Smith hopes to show Quinn he can stick

The Brendan Smith Reclamation Project began in earnest on Wednesday night, when the Rangers’ much-maligned defenseman got in his first preseason action in a Garden match against the Flyers.

Smith, 29, is coming off a hugely disappointing season, his first after signing a four-year, $17.4 million deal. He came into that training camp not in the best of shape and was eventually placed on waivers in February and cleared — meaning no one in the league thought it worthwhile to take on his annual $4.35 million salary-cap hit.

Smith then played out the rest of the season for AHL Hartford, and returned for this training camp trying to gain the respect of the new coaching staff led by David Quinn.

“I try not to look back at last year,” Smith said Wednesday morning. “I try to keep going forward, keep getting better. I know what kind of game I want to play to be successful. That’s what I’m trying to do.”

General manager Jeff Gorton was inclined to sign Smith after he obtained him from the Red Wings at the 2016-17 trade deadline. That postseason, Smith was a leader on the back end, playing with an edge as the Rangers made it to the second round where they lost to the Senators in six games.

But then he signed the deal, and he felt like he didn’t get the same role the next season under thencoach Alain Vigneault.

“I think off the bat, I didn’t have the same role,” Smith said. “I’m just trying to go into this year and make sure I can secure a spot for myself and get back to where I was — and even better.”

That would be ideal for Quinn, who could use another veteran presence on the blue line, as well as a player who can play both sides.

“The thing we talked about [with him] is, ‘We’re not looking for you to be something you haven’t already been in this league.’ That’s the good news, I think he understands that,” Quinn said. “Hopefully he continues to be that guy that can skate, make an outlet pass, defend, reliable penalty killer. And he plays with an edge. Those are things that have enabled him to be a player in this league and that’s what we’re looking for him to do.” Boo Nieves was considered “day-to-day” by Quinn after the center had sustained a concussion on a head shot from the Devils’ Eric Gryba on Monday night. Nieves remained off the ice for the second day, and continues to go through the NHL concussion protocol.

Quinn had coached at the Garden before while with Boston University, but Wednesday night was set to be his debut on Broadway as the Rangers headman.

“I’ve coached in the Garden,” Quinn said Wednesday morning, “but I don’t think that’s going to take any of the excitement away.”