The Montreal Canadiens have traded a 5th round pick in the 2019 NHL entry draft to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for defenceman Mike Reilly.
Canadiens acquire defenseman Mike Reilly from the Minnesota Wild, in return for a 5th round pick in 2019 (previously acquired from Washington). #GoHabsGo
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) February 26, 2018
Mike Reilly goes to Montreal
Mike Reilly
Reilly, the 24-year-old defencemen was originally drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2011 NHL entry draft. However, he was never signed by the team and did not play his first NHL game until the 2015-16 season. He was first called up by Minnesota and played 29 games in that campaign.
This season has been Reilly’s most active in the NHL. He’s played a total of 38 games for the Wild, earning 18 points in his outings. In his last five games alone he’s earned two points, and in the games where he’s got pucks on net, his shooting percentage has been 50%. That sounds amazing, although that 50% is with only two shots on net, meaning just one of his two shots managed to find twine. However, the two games in question were against the Arizona Coyotes and the New Jersey Devils, both of those teams are currently playing at very different calibers. So if there is one thing that can be taken away from Reilly’s two most recently exceptional games, it’s that he’s able to get quality pucks on net, against teams of various skill levels.
What this Means for the Future
Minnesota will be walking away with a 5th round pick in the 2019 draft, which originally belonged to the Washington Capatians. Montreal acquired that pick in the Jakub Jerabek deal just five days ago. The Wild currently sit third in the Central division, and trading away a player like Reilly, isn’t going to hinder that at all.
Mike Reilly is a young player and although his journey to the NHL hasn’t been a story of break out success, never the less he seems to be finding his groove this season. For a team like Montreal that is focusing on long-term regrowth, rather than a short-term dash for success, a player like Reilly seems to fit that idea.
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