Mike Reilly (6) Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Islanders claim veteran defenseman off waivers

Originally posted on Daily Faceoff | By Mike Gould | Last updated 11/25/23

The New York Islanders claimed defenseman Mike Reilly off waivers from the Florida Panthers, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported Saturday afternoon.

Reilly, 30, has appeared in just two NHL games with the Panthers to start the 2023–24 regular season, averaging just 14:08 of ice time per night and failing to register a point.

The Panthers originally signed Reilly to a one-year, $1 million contract as an unrestricted free agent on July 1, intending to use him as a stop-gap while top-four defenders Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour recovered from injury.

That time has since passed. Both Montour and Ekblad are back in action — and now, Reilly has a new home on Long Island.

NYI claims Mike Reilly
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) November 25, 2023

The Columbus Blue Jackets originally selected Reilly in the fourth round (No. 98 overall) of the 2011 NHL Draft. The Chanhassen, Minnesota product never signed with his draft club, electing to sign with the Minnesota Wild in 2015 after spending three seasons at the University of Minnesota.

The 6’1″ Reilly spent parts of three seasons with the Wild before being traded to the Montreal Canadiens in 2018 in exchange for a 2019 fifth-round pick. After three more seasons in Montreal, Reilly was sent to the Ottawa Senators in 2020.

Reilly split the 2020–21 season between the Senators and Boston Bruins, setting an NHL record for the most points in a season by a player without scoring a single goal (27, plus four more in the playoffs). He signed a three-year extension with the Bruins after the season but was bought out after the second year of the deal.

Through 341 career NHL games with the Wild, Canadiens, Senators, Bruins, and Panthers, Reilly has collected 12 goals and 98 points. He’s added four assists in 16 career playoff contests.

Reilly will provide some additional stability to an Islanders team that just placed defenseman Adam Pelech on the long-term injured reserve list on Saturday. The Islanders currently rank fourth in the Metropolitan Division with an 8–6–5 record and 21 points in 19 games this season.

This article first appeared on Daily Faceoff and was syndicated with permission.

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