Mike Reilly has been traded to the Boston Bruins in exchange for a 2022 third-round pick, the Ottawa Senators announced today.
Trade alert: The #Sens have acquired a 2022 third-round draft pick from @NHLBruins in exchange for defenceman Mike Reilly.
Alerte transaction : Les #Sens ont acquis un choix de troisième ronde en 2022 des Bruins de Boston en retour du défenseur Mike Reilly.
— Sens Communications (@Media_Sens) April 12, 2021
Mike Reilly Traded
Reilly has had an adventurous route to a consistent NHL role since his selection a decade ago. Drafted 98th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets, he remained unsigned until the Minnesota Wild gave him a deal in 2015. He remained a ‘tweener’ moving between the AHL and the Wild until he was sent to the Montreal Canadiens in 2018. The 2018-19 season was a chance to show his skills, getting into 57 games for the Habs. Reilly saw his role diminished the next year, though, and he was moved to the Ottawa Senators after playing just 14 games in three months. He closed out 2019-20 with one goal and 11 points in 30 games with the Senators, and with that finally won a starting role with a team at the start of the 2020-21 season.
After getting 19 assists in just 39 games this year, usually paired with rookie Artem Zub, he’s on the move again. So what exactly is Boston getting?
If your team needs a physical presence, Mike Reilly isn’t it. If, on the other hand, they need someone with very good offensive awareness who can launch a pass? There are worse choices out there than Reilly. He’s very good with the puck and has even added penalty killing to his repertoire this year. Again, he won’t be clearing the net front for you. But he has an active stick and can get the puck out of trouble quickly.
What This Means for the Future
For Reilly, it’s a chance to showcase himself in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time. He’s an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, and that matters. While his play in the regular season for a weaker team has been good, there’s nothing like playoff games to get all eyes on you. For better or worse.
For Ottawa, it’s just a case of other teams asked for him. The Senators have players of Reilly’s type available, so using him to bring more assets doesn’t hurt. He cost them a fifth-round pick and didn’t hurt them when he was here. Getting a third-round pick isn’t a bad return on investment.
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
