LD Mike Reilly (2011, 98th, CBJ; signed by MIN)

[Sticks and Pucks]

I have started hearing some hype about Mike Reilly but I have never heard much about him. For those of you that have seen Reilly, what kind of a player is he and who in the NHL would you compare him to? Also, how likely do you think he will succeed in the NHL?

 

[Big Ed]

I thought Keith Yandle from my limited viewing.

 

[OG]

He's a ridiculous skater. I've seen some comparisons to Duncan Keith.

Hope he signs with CBJ, it'll be ****** if he doesn't.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

I thought Keith Yandle from my limited viewing.

I think he is much better defensively than Yandle, not perfect across the board but poormans McDonagh from his Badgers days. Really cannot say enough good things about him, always come away super impressed whether with Team USA or the Gophers.

 

[Random Forest]

From what I've seen, which is a fair amount, I'd say a very poor man's Keith.

Very exciting prospect, though. I think he's going to be a very good player.

 

[FlyTimmo]

Was easily my second favorite defenseman in college hockey last year. I can the very poor man's Duncan Keith in him.

 

[J22*]

Pros- Excellent skater, great passer, has very good vision and offensive awareness, great at carrying the puck and jumping into the rush. Could probably QB an NHL PP right now.


Cons- Needs to add weight, pretty soft, doesn't hit, below average in board battles, gets lost in his own end at times.


Comparable for me would be Nick Leddy with better vision. I can see the Kieth comparison as far as skating and puck handling/passing, but Reilly has a long way to go to be as complete a player as Kieth.

 

[Silentjury]

As mentioned by previous posts, he is a tremendous skater who can dangle at the blue line which can get him in trouble from time to time. I feel he has vastly improved his decision making when it comes in to jumping into offensive play.

Hopefully he has hit the weight room this summer because he needs to add some muscle if he wants to have an NHL career.

 

[Mikeaveli]

I watched one Gophers game this year to see Adam Wilcox play, and I came away more impressed with Reilly than Wilcox. His skating blows me away.

 

[Evolu7ion]

The thing about Reilly is that he was 5 9' when drafted, but has since then he's put on decent height and really continued to grow his skill game as well. I see a less physical and abrasive version of Keith in him.

 

[Sticks and Pucks]

The thing about Reilly is that he was 5 9' when drafted, but has since then he's put on decent height and really continued to grow his skill game as well. I see a less physical and abrasive version of Keith in him.

Ah, that explains his draft position.

 

[NoRaise4Brackett]

Pros- Excellent skater, great passer, has very good vision and offensive awareness, great at carrying the puck and jumping into the rush. Could probably QB an NHL PP right now.


Cons- Needs to add weight, pretty soft, doesn't hit, below average in board battles, gets lost in his own end at times.


Comparable for me would be Nick Leddy with better vision. I can see the Kieth comparison as far as skating and puck handling/passing, but Reilly has a long way to go to be as complete a player as Kieth.

I've watched him here and there since he was in the BCHL. The bolded pretty much sums it up.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Will be a great pickup for someone next offseason when he goes to FA (Likely next Hayes/Schultz situation)

 

[J22*]

Will be a great pickup for someone next offseason when he goes to FA (Likely next Hayes/Schultz situation)

I have noticed a handful of posts like this from Jackets fans, can I ask why you guys feel like he might bail? Up here in Gopher land I haven't heard anything about him not wanting to play in C-bus.

 

[Crede777]

Will be a great pickup for someone next offseason when he goes to FA (Likely next Hayes/Schultz situation)

Which I really hope doesn't happen.

I have noticed a handful of posts like this from Jackets fans, can I ask why you guys feel like he might bail? Up here in Gopher land I haven't heard anything about him not wanting to play in C-bus.

That's mostly because of the depth Columbus has at defense. After college, it's unlikely Reilly would be an NHL starter and he'd most likely have to spend a year or two in the minors. He could perhaps get an immediate starting gig at a team which is weak at defense and he'd have no contractual obligation to the CBJ after college. If he signed with Columbus, it'd be more out of team loyalty and a hope that it'd be better for his development than anything else.

Reilly is a very smooth skater with the puck and has good vision / passing. He was undersized when drafted but has grown both in height and muscle without subtracting much speed.

Nobody is quite sure where he'll top out at the moment as predicting the development of defensemen is difficult. I have heard from the US junior team that he displays good leadership qualities though.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

I have noticed a handful of posts like this from Jackets fans, can I ask why you guys feel like he might bail? Up here in Gopher land I haven't heard anything about him not wanting to play in C-bus.

Which I really hope doesn't happen.


That's mostly because of the depth Columbus has at defense. After college, it's unlikely Reilly would be an NHL starter and he'd most likely have to spend a year or two in the minors. He could perhaps get an immediate starting gig at a team which is weak at defense and he'd have no contractual obligation to the CBJ after college. If he signed with Columbus, it'd be more out of team loyalty and a hope that it'd be better for his development than anything else.

Reilly is a very smooth skater with the puck and has good vision / passing. He was undersized when drafted but has grown both in height and muscle without subtracting much speed.

Nobody is quite sure where he'll top out at the moment as predicting the development of defensemen is difficult. I have heard from the US junior team that he displays good leadership qualities though.

Pretty much this. Plus he declined an ELC this summer and has said that he can't wait to play in the NHL, but didn't specify for the CBJ. And didn't give any assurance that he was going to sign with the CBJ after this season..So yeah, writing is kinda on the wall.

 

[WannabeFinn]

Which I really hope doesn't happen.


That's mostly because of the depth Columbus has at defense. After college, it's unlikely Reilly would be an NHL starter and he'd most likely have to spend a year or two in the minors. He could perhaps get an immediate starting gig at a team which is weak at defense and he'd have no contractual obligation to the CBJ after college. If he signed with Columbus, it'd be more out of team loyalty and a hope that it'd be better for his development than anything else.

Reilly is a very smooth skater with the puck and has good vision / passing. He was undersized when drafted but has grown both in height and muscle without subtracting much speed.

Nobody is quite sure where he'll top out at the moment as predicting the development of defensemen is difficult. I have heard from the US junior team that he displays good leadership qualities though.

Well, if Erixon and Goloubef don't work out/are traded this season (or at the very least aren't signed next off season), he could very easily replace Prout on the bottom pairing. Not too crazy to think that he could crack the roster right away.

 

[WannabeFinn]

Pretty much this. Plus he declined an ELC this summer and has said that he can't wait to play in the NHL, but didn't specify for the CBJ. And didn't give any assurance that he was going to sign with the CBJ after this season..So yeah, writing is kinda on the wall.

Didn't he decline the ELC because he wanted another shot at the NCG though? He could very easily still have the NHL as his main objective (and still have it be with Columbus) while wanting to bulk up for another year at college and get another shot at winning it all with his brothers and fellow CBJ prospects Ambroz and Collins.

 

[J22*]

Which I really hope doesn't happen.


That's mostly because of the depth Columbus has at defense. After college, it's unlikely Reilly would be an NHL starter and he'd most likely have to spend a year or two in the minors. He could perhaps get an immediate starting gig at a team which is weak at defense and he'd have no contractual obligation to the CBJ after college. If he signed with Columbus, it'd be more out of team loyalty and a hope that it'd be better for his development than anything else.

Reilly is a very smooth skater with the puck and has good vision / passing. He was undersized when drafted but has grown both in height and muscle without subtracting much speed.

Nobody is quite sure where he'll top out at the moment as predicting the development of defensemen is difficult. I have heard from the US junior team that he displays good leadership qualities though.

Pretty much this. Plus he declined an ELC this summer and has said that he can't wait to play in the NHL, but didn't specify for the CBJ. And didn't give any assurance that he was going to sign with the CBJ after this season..So yeah, writing is kinda on the wall.

So, pretty much the basic concerns that anyone would have about a prospect in the NCAA? Valid concerns for sure, I was just wondering as a Gopher fan who follows the team very closely,if I had missed something.

This probably isn't worth the paper it's wriiten on but,I can tell that I haven't heard anything even remotely close to him not wanting to be in Columbus. I wouldn't put much into him not signing this summer either. He simply isn't ready yet. Add in the facts that everybody else came back, and his brothers are on the team, I think it would be fair to say it was a good sign for you guys that he took so long to make a decision.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

So, pretty much the basic concerns that anyone would have about a prospect in the NCAA? Valid concerns for sure, I was just wondering as a Gopher fan who follows the team very closely,if I had missed something.

This probably isn't worth the paper it's wriiten on but,I can tell that I haven't heard anything even remotely close to him not wanting to be in Columbus. I wouldn't put much into him not signing this summer either. He simply isn't ready yet. Add in the facts that everybody else came back, and his brothers are on the team, I think it would be fair to say it was a good sign for you guys that he took so long to make a decision.

That's encouraging, but I still have doubts. Hopefully you're right

 

[Aceboogie]

Tuned in to watch laleggia play but Reilly was the best player on the ice. Controlled the entire pace of the game

 

[GoJackets1]

Brass, it's killing me how you've 100% convinced yourself that he's not going to sign.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Brass, it's killing me how you've 100% convinced yourself that he's not going to sign.

I'd love to have him, he's a great player, but the writing is kinda on the wall. He wants to be an NHLer soon, like within the next two years, and I doubt it can be in Columbus unless we ship guys out. I hope my concerns are just overreaction.

 

[Jackets16]

I'd love to have him, he's a great player, but the writing is kinda on the wall. He wants to be an NHLer soon, like within the next two years, and I doubt it can be in Columbus unless we ship guys out. I hope my concerns are just overreaction.

I am sorry, but it is an overreaction. He may never play for Columbus, but there is no reason to think he won't at this time. None. He has never said he doesn't want to play for Columbus. Columbus wants him to play for them. They can EASILY make room for him if he is good enough.

 

[DJA]

I'd love to have him, he's a great player, but the writing is kinda on the wall. He wants to be an NHLer soon, like within the next two years, and I doubt it can be in Columbus unless we ship guys out. I hope my concerns are just overreaction.

Prout/Erixon/Goloubef hardly have an iron grip on the 6/7 spots. There's plenty of room for Reilly if he's good enough. Stop stressing about it.