Mike Reilly has been an exceptional add for the New York Islanders, but does he get a contract extension?
Mike Reilly has been an exceptional add for the New York Islanders, but does he get a contract extension?
While all eyes are on potential deals ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline, there are also focuses on who will stay with their respective teams, be it through trades or extensions.
The New York Islanders have a prime candidate for the latter in defenseman pickup Mike Reilly.
The Islanders claimed Reilly off waivers from the Florida Panthers on Nov. 25 after he was phased out of their defensive plans. While the move was necessary, with the team's blue line heavily injured at the time, Reilly has turned into a mainstay.
In 41 games, he's tallied four goals and 11 assists while rounding out the team's bottom pairing.
With Reilly having only one year left on his current contract at $1 million, could Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello reach an agreement to keep him in the fold?
For starters, it's important to note the Islanders' contract situation on the back end.
As of now, fellow left-handed defensemen Adam Pelech and Alex Romanov are each locked up for next year and beyond. Pelech is around for the long haul, but Romanov is due for an RFA contract next offseason, along with Samuel Bolduc.
However, Sebastian Aho and Robert Bortuzzo are due to hit the open market, leaving two openings on the back end. With those two departures and Bolduc yet to become an NHL regular, Reilly could easily act as a short-term stopgap until Bolduc makes the leap.
Another thing to consider is Reilly's contract history.
His entry-level contract came in just north of $2 million per year, with his highest annual cap hit sitting at $3 million. His deal with the Panthers was a one-year pact at $1 million, meaning he could easily take a salary in that neighborhood.
While the projected salary and roster openings may influence the Islanders to bring him back, the drawback is the decision on who is the odd man out.
With Bolduc back up from his conditioning stint and Bortuzzo close to returning, the Islanders have eight defensemen with NHL experience, not to mention Robin Salo in the AHL.
Even if both pending UFAs leave, there's still a lot of traffic on the back end, which may force Lamoriello to make a trade and evaluate who is the right fit for his roster.
But Reilly does provide an upside for the Islanders.
He provided emergency relief for a depleted defense and has improved the Islanders' transition game, making him a candidate for an extension.
It doesn't matter why Reilly fits in Roy's system, but he does to a tee and has earned an extension, whether it's as a sixth defenseman or a seventh.