Hockey Minnesota Gopher Defenseman Mike Reilly may test Free Agent Waters by Staff Post June 6, 2015 (credit: Gopher Athletics) Much like last season, when Forward/Center Kevin Hayes of Boston College did not sign with the Chicago Blackhawks, the team that drafted him in the first round; Gopher D-man Mike Reilly may test free agency this season. Mike Reilly, defenseman for the Minnesota Gophers, was drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets but has told them he will look to Free Agency. Columbus has up to June 15 to sign Mike, or he can then sign with whichever NHL team he so desires. Last season, Kevin Hayes left the Chicago Blackhawks at the altar, so to speak and signed with the NY Rangers, following his former teammate Chris Kreider to Broadway. Hayes played very well in Training Camp and made the Broadway Blueshirts. He played a huge part in the Ranger’s season and will be one of the bright spots for years to come. This season, Mike Reilly is looking to test the Free Agent waters and has told Columbus just that. There are no nine teams currently vying for his services. Mike will meet with the Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens, Pittsburgh Penguins, NY Rangers and the Columbus Blue Jackets. Columbus selected him 98th overall at the 2011 NHL Draft. Mike can only sign with Columbus before June 15, BUT with anyone he cares to afterward. Many think that the Minnesota Wild have the inside chance for two very good reasons. One, Mike is from Minnesota, and two; his dad his a minority owner of the Wild. Last season, I correctly predicted that the Boston College connection would be too strong to keep Kevin Hayes from Broadway. This season, my gut instinct is telling me that fellow Minnesota Gopher Defenseman Brady Skjei (pronounced shea as in Shea Stadium) who is currently a member of the Hartford Wolf Pack, the AHL affiliate of the NY Rangers, may talk his buddy into signing with the Rangers. Reilly has a very good right handed shot from the point and Dan Boyle, who by the way is right handed, has only one year left on his contract and will be 40 when that contact expires. You do the math. A chance for Reilly to come to training camp with the Broadway Blueshirts who have gone to the Conference Finals three of the last four years and was one game away from going to back to back Cup Finals and vie for a spot on the roster. Or play one year at Hartford and make the team the following year, and may be paired with your buddy from College. Skjei is more of the lock down defenseman, so it would be a very good pairing. The last two seasons at Minnesota, Mike’s stats looked like this: 2013-14: nine goals and 33 points in 41games. 2014-15: six goals and 43 points in 39 games. On top of that, Mike was named to the American World Championship squad that won Bronze at Prague. He had one assist in ten games. Before that, Mike played on the US World Junior Team at the tournament in 2012-13. In seven games there, he had one goal and three points. I will be keeping an eye on this story via Twitter and see how it pans out. There will be updates concerning Mike Reilly as soon as I get any breaking info. This may be another very good play that the Rangers can steal away from the rest of the league. 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