The year is 2024, and New York Islanders fans finally have Mike Reilly on their blue line. Whether he was on the Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, or Florida Panthers, Islanders fans have wanted him on Long Island for quite some time. After getting claimed on waivers on Nov. 25, he has become a staple in the Islanders lineup, filling in key roles throughout the defense amid an injury-riddled season.
Full of Value
When claimed off of waivers via the Florida Panthers, Reilly was not necessarily expected to become a key member of the defense. Making just $1 million, he was a cheap contract acquired for nothing who had NHL experience and could help the Islanders avoid calling up an unprepared defenseman from the minor leagues. However, he has been much more than a stop-gap option.
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Reilly has never played a full season for an NHL team, frequently being placed in and out of lineups and sent between the NHL and the American Hockey League (AHL). He has a career-high of zero goals and 27 points in 40 games in the 2020-21 season split between the Bruins and Senators. However, his offensive talents are evident, and he has historically lacked the consistency to find his footing in the lineup. With the Islanders tight to the cap and riddled with injuries, he has provided strong offense with above-average defense, playing a tremendously underrated role in the Islanders’ playoff push.
The blueliner has spent most of his time this season alongside Sebastian Aho. After playing 36 games for the Islanders in the 2021-22 season, scoring two goals and 12 points, Aho was expected to fill in as a strong two-way defenseman on the Islanders’ bottom pair who could provide some offense as a puck carrier. However, he has heavily regressed this season amid battles with injuries, but the two have found a groove together.
Aho and Reilly have formed the best analytical pairing for the Islanders this season, having 55.8% expected goals, four percent higher than any other pairing according to Moneypuck. Reilly also has the second-highest expected goals on the Islanders with five, second most points per game, highest Corsi and Fenwick, and highest relative expected goals percentage. With the Islanders’ major struggles this season stemming from giving up frequent high-danger chances, his team-best 2.96 high-danger shot attempts against per 60 minutes show his value to the defense. Across the board, Reilly is amongst the best on the Islanders in all major defensive categories, showing he is more than just an offensive defenseman.
Providing Offense
While his strong defense has been a great help to the Islanders this season, the offense is what fans have desired for years, and it has not disappointed. He is frequently deferred to carry the puck through the natural zone to establish offensive possession, and he utilizes his body and stick well to get through oncoming traffic. He may not be Mat Barzal, but he is the next best thing, flying down the ice and finding the open man.
He has just five goals and 15 assists on the season, but that is in just 56 games playing around 17 minutes per game. Adjusting his point totals to a per 60-minute basis, he sits 50th in the league with 1.26 points per 60 minutes, beating out other top defenseman such as Jake Sanderson, Rasmus Andersson, Seth Jones, and Aaron Ekblad. No, this is not saying Reilly is better, rather it is comparing him to other defensemen to show how much value he has brought in a limited role.
Not to mention, he has gone from playing under two different Bruins coaches last season and the season before spending the offseason learning Florida’s system for just two games then later playing under two different coaches in New York. Reilly’s life has not been easy, yet he has learned and adapted to become a key contributor to the Islanders’ defense, and his contributions should not go unspoken. With the playoffs approaching and the Islanders fighting for their season, expect Reilly to continue to play his game as one of the team’s better defensemen.