Montreal Canadiens Re-Sign Mike Reilly

The Montreal Canadiens have re-signed left defenceman Mike Reilly. He will be back in Montreal for the next two seasons.

The Montreal Canadiens have announced they re-signed defenceman Mike Reilly. The Chicago native played 57 games with the Habs last season, scoring three goals, eight assists and 11 points.

The contract is a two year pact worth a total of $3 million. The cap hit for the next two seasons will therefore be $1.5 million.

Reilly was initially drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the fourth round of the 2011 NHL Draft. Reilly had a great career in NCAA with the University of Minnesota. In his third season with the College program, he scored 42 points in 39 games and was a finalist for the famed Hobey Baker Award.

He was not signed by the Blue Jackets and became a free agent on July 1, 2015 when the Minnesota Wild signed him to an entry level deal.

He struggled to find a permanent job with the Wild, and after three seasons of bouncing between the NHL and AHL, Minnesota traded him to the Montreal Canadiens at the 2018 trade deadline for a fifth round draft pick.

Reilly started this season with a chance to earn a major role on the Canadiens. With Karl Alzner struggling and Victor Mete sent to the minors for a stretch early in the year, jobs were up for grabs to the left of Jeff Petry and Shea Weber.

Reilly’s skating, passing and puck moving abilities made him an intriguing option to fill one of the slots. However, after 57 games resulted in 11 points and below average defensive play, it was clear Reilly was more of a depth option.

He became a frequent healthy scratch late in the season as Mete and Brett Kulak took on bigger roles with the organization. With Jordie Benn leaving via free agency this summer, it’s possible that Reilly will have another chance next season to claim a top six role.

If not, his salary is not too much to have him hang around as a seventh defenceman who can jump into the lineup when the inevitable injuries occur.