Avalanche Claim Mike Reilly Off Waivers

According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Colorado Avalanche have claimed defenseman Mike Reilly off waivers from the Carolina Hurricanes. Colorado had an opening on its 23-man roster, so no corresponding roster move was required.

Reilly, 33, was in his second season with the Hurricanes before the claim. Last year, his first with Carolina, Reilly scored one goal and nine points in 42 games with a +11 rating, averaging 14:58 of ice time per game. Before then, Reilly bounced around several teams with varying stretches of stability.

His professional career started in 2011 when the Minnesota Wild selected him with the 98th overall pick in that summer’s draft. He didn’t debut with the Wild until the 2015-16 campaign and was traded to the Montreal Canadiens two years later. After joining the Canadiens, Reilly also played for the Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins, and Florida Panthers.

During the 2023-24 campaign, Reilly had a resurgence of sorts. In late November, the New York Islanders selected the veteran blueliner off waivers. In arguably his career-best stretch, Reilly scored six goals and 23 points in 59 games for the Islanders, averaging 17:16 of ice time.

Despite being a depth defender for the Hurricanes, Reilly fit in well in Rod Brind’Amour’s system. Like many in Carolina, Reilly saw his possession and defensive metrics rise dramatically. He also registered two assists in two postseason games for the Hurricanes last spring, helping the franchise win its second Stanley Cup championship.

Given recent events, it’s not surprising that the Avalanche sought out Reilly on the waiver wire. In their recent contest against the Ottawa Senators, the Avalanche lost stars Nathan MacKinnon (one month) and Cale Makar (two weeks). Although Reilly hardly comes close to replacing Makar’s production, he’ll at least serve as depth to hold down the fort.