Given Connor McDavid's recent comments about his future with the Edmonton Oilers, I can't help but think that New York Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury might try and land some bargain options with upside this summer. Doing so would attempt to make the team competitive, and would save valuable cap space for next summer when McDavid is scheduled to hit the market. One option that the Rangers should consider is from the New York Islanders, and when you look at their background it makes a ton of sense.
A decade ago Mike Reilly was a coveted college free agent who hit the market because he was unable to come to terms on a contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He was standout player at the University of Minnesota, and played a key role on Team USA's blue line at the U20 World Junior Championship. He eventually signed with the Minnesota Wild and has since gone on to play with the Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, and the New York Islanders. The Rangers love Team USA alumni, so Reilly would fit right in.
Reilly was limited to 18 games with the Islanders this season because he underwent a procedure to address "a preexisting but previously undiscovered heart condition." Reilly had appeared in 11 games before stepping away from hockey, and was able to return late in the season and dress for seven additional games.
Over the last four seasons Reilly has appeared in 157 games, the bulk of which came during the 2021-22 and 2023-24 campaigns. In 2023-24 he appeared in 59 games and logged 886 minutes at 5v5 and had a a 50.22 GF%, a 51.06 CF%, and a 55.02 xGF% per Evolving-Hockey as a member of the Islanders. When you look at his goals above replacement metrics, Reilly was worth 6.8 GAR, and defensive ability accounted for 4 GAR.
During the 2021-22 season Reilly skated 1,166 minutes at 5v5 in 70 games and had a 52.69 GF%, a 57.56 CF%, and a 58.79 xGF%. He was only on the ice for 2.15 goals against per 60 minutes, and was a quality defensive defenseman for the Bruins. During this season he had a GAR of just 2.3, but his defensive ability was worth 5.1 GAR. He was a drain offensively that season which brought down his overall total.
The 6'1" and 185-pound rear guard made just $1.25 million this past season, and missing the majority of the season will likely bump down his salary for the 2025-26 season. For that reason it would be smart for the Rangers to offer Reilly a contract and give him a chance to compete for a spot in the lineup. They'd truly have nothing to lose, and Reilly could ultimately prove to be what the team needs on the left side. He's another depth option, and if the Rangers have big aspirations for other areas of their roster, giving him an opportunity might not be the worst idea in the world.