Mike Reilly’s road to the NHL has been a bit bumpier than many expected, but it looks like the pavement is getting a little smoother now for the touted prospect, who looks ready to contribute full-time. In trading away Marco Scandella during the offseason, the Wild’s brass gave Reilly a huge vote of confidence, as the team is clearly expecting either Reilly or Gustav Olofsson (or maybe both) to seize a permanent position on the Xcel Energy Center blueline.
Reilly was picked in the fourth round of the 2011 draft by a team he didn’t have any desire to play for—the Columbus Blue Jackets—so he played out three full seasons at the University of Minnesota and awaited the expiration of his draft rights in 2015.