The Edmonton Oilers are in the running for another puck-moving college
defender and it appears they have a chance. Again! I’m not quite sure
what the Oilers (may) have here, so let’s check it out.
The 9 clubs Reilly meeting with: CHI, CBJ, DET, EDM, LA, MIN, MTL, NYR, PIT. Reilly officially becomes UFA on June 16.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) June 4, 2015
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Kirk Luedeke, Pre-Draft 2011: Mike Reilly, D Shattuck St. Mary’s (HIGH- MN)–
Undersized defender has good skill and smarts, but has a long road
ahead of him. Short and slight, there isn’t much room to grow on that
5-11 frame of his, which is the primary concern we get when asking
scouts about him. He sees the ice well, is a strong skater and can
advance the puck effectively. He’s going to need to spend a lot of time
working on his strength, but should be a good player at the NCAA level.
Whether he has the talent and upside to overcome his lack of
size/strength remains to be seen, and he’s a risky guy. Could get a look
in the later rounds, but it will be interesting to see how Reilly
performs during the physical testing portion. Source
The
Columbus Blue Jackets selected him in the draft, No. 98 overall in the
fourth round. Scott Howson was the GM, Oilers fans were still swearing
at the Oil for passing on Boone Jenner (Howson’s Jackets took him in the
second round). The fourth round in 2011 is turning into a productive
one: J-G Pageau was taken by Ottawa, Johnny Gaudreau went to Calgary and
those scouts Edmonton was so mad at selected Tobias Rieder.
Go figure.
Reilly is a lefty and he becomes a free agent June 16. Edmonton has a chance.
NHL EQUIVALENCY (SCHULTZ V REILLY)
Well, Luedeke said he had a long road ahead of him and credit the young
man he found another gear or two. The Oilers are still a building team
and the price is an entry-level deal—there’s no draft picks involved.
What’s the worst that could happen? He’s so good someone loses their
job?
“WAAAAAH one free agent signing from College turned into a #6 defensemam when I wanted Paul Coffey so I don’t want any more highly regarded prospects from college ever! Waaah”
You people are buffoons.
Cool. Might as well try. Just because Schultz hasnt been what we expected doesn’t mean this guy cant make it in the NHL.
I’m just waiting for all the “duhhh schults didnt turn out so he wont turn out” comments.
I don’t understand the skepticism from Oilers fans. Just because Schultz has struggled doesn’t mean Reilly will. Every player is different. It’s a new era too. Schultz could rebound and be the two-way defenseman everybody thought he would be. If Reilly does sign here, it’s just another defender to add to the depth chart, which could allow PC to trade a guy like Marincin (although I don’t want to), Musil, Gernat, etc. Plus no one seems to be complaining about LaLeggia, even though we drafted him, and he’s considered an offensive defenseman. People need to get a grip.
I don’t think anyone reasonable As Schultz becoming a two way defender. The hope was his offence would be above average or better and his defence would be competent enough to be a positive player on the whole.
Unfortunately the offence hasn’t been good enough and the defence has been worse than even reasonable expectations.
That said, you are bang on about Reilly. They aren’t clones. Grab the asset if you can and see what happens.
“Schultz could rebound and be the two-way defenseman everybody thought he would be.”
You are joking right? No work ethics from Schultzy, no heart, no commitment, he is a liability. He could rebound if he wanted it more, but he does not want it AT ALL.
If the Oilers get him, then they could just let Schultz walk. I too see potential, but I see a lot more of I don’t care attitude. He may do well somewhere else as any other team would hold him accountable. Hard to say if his attitude will adjust with the new coaching staff or not. I am sure Mac-T’s Norris potential babble didn’t help him either. He may do well elsewhere, basically fired and that might wake him up. After this last decade of tomfoolery, we have no room for guys who don’t give their all each and every shift. Of the ones we keep, I think we will finally see some press box assignments and other forms of accountability , which has pretty much been non-existent with the previous regime.
Lol you guys gotta be kidding when you say Schultz doesn’t care. Do you know him personally? You can’t actually think that a guy who has worked all his life to get to the nhl, finally gets there and then just gives up. Ridiculous. This team has been a train wreck for nine years and you guys heaping thd blame on Schultz is getting sickening. I can’t wait till he has a breakout year next season under coach McLellan who in my mind is gonna turn him loose. If any of you guys actually watched the Oilers games and not just highline on sports net you would see that the potential is there. I’ll be around to see how many of you jump on his bandwagon
It is difficult to see how Chicago loses this bidding war. Since the money will be the same from everybody, it comes down to situation.
Chicago has open spots on the D and the veteran mentors.
Yeah but….. McDavid.
This guy has thrown more hits in this one minute video than Schultz has in three years with the Oilers.
Just make sure MacT isn’t anywhere near the media when we sign him
we ran Petry and Dubynyk out of Town, we are working on getting rid of Schultz and now we are writing off a decent college player before we actually have him….GET A LIFE PEOPLE.
For fans of a franchise that has been in the toilet for almost a decade, we certainly seem to be getting sort of picky.
This young player seems to have a decent level of skill and the cost of trying him out would be limited.
Would it not take up a spot on the 50 man list?? Is there no better bets out there to put on the 50 man than yet another small “skilled puck moving” college dman?
1) I’m NOT a fan of a crap team that is in the toilet. I am an Edmontonian, and Oilers fan. I expect quality, and performance. The exact same expectations that are on me when I go to work.
2) This is Edmonton. Money isn’t a precious resource, time and effort are. If this kid sucks, then he’s sucking up two very valuable commodities.
Craig Ramsay and will Acton fired and Jay wood croft officially hired
I don’t believe it! Are you sure? Oilers never fire anyone. They probably just got new titles…
Oh goody! We’ve had such good luck with college “puck moving” dman. I take MacT is spearheading this acquisition?
Seriously?
Let’s see;
6’1, 182 lbs. Led the Golden Gophers in scoring (first time in 20 years a d-man did that). A two-time All-American. A Hobey Baker finalist. Played for the U.S. in the Worlds.
No, the Oilers couldn’t use someone like that.
GREAT!!! HE CAN QB OUR POWER-PLAY AND OUR FOOTBALL TEAM!!!
He’s like the Omark of defence with all those spin-o-ramas.
The Oilers had arguably the worst blueline in the NHL last year.
A prospect like Mike Reilly would be a welcome addition.
Man the Oilers had arguably the worst blueline in the last 20 years. I was watching Major League last night suckling on a bottle Canadian and the part when the coach tells Dorn. “Why didnt you dive in front of that one? Don’t give me this Ole’ Horse Manure!”. Yeah thats basically the Oilers defense in a nutshell the past 10 years. The heart and sack went out the window when Jason Smith got traded to Philly. God what I would give to have another Gator.
I don’t think it was arguable at all. It was the worst blue line, nothing to argue
I don’t think it’s arguable. I can’t think of a worse blueline.
Wow we are hard on Schultz. I remember watching his first 20 games with the Oilers and being blown away by his skating ability and the way he was able to see the ice. I know that player is still in there and the right coach can bring that out of him again. He’s never going to be a shut down dman but he can be a great third pairing guy who can quarterback a PP. Pretty similar to a Mike Green scenario and he’s managed to have a solid career. What we need to do is make that big trade for a Buff or Seabrook who can transform a defence over night.
Your seeing a different player then the rest of us. He’s a good skater, no Erik Karlson. He is average moving the puck. He is an opportunist, can read the play and jump in. He has good powerplay instincts, but his contributions are minimized by the fact he is easy to defend,and he can’t or doesn’t shoot. I watched him in OKC and the Kreuger year alot. He was a rover, and his game has not translated to the NHL yet. He is now reaching the point at 26-27 he needs to show something, or he will never.
If he cleans up his own end, he can be a top four defender. I think his points will come from playing with good players and not the other way around. His play doesn’t translate to possession, and his only strength so far is capitalizing on open ice in the neutral and offensive zone. He doesn’t produce much 5×5 which speaks to two things. He doesn’t make a great first pass, and he is in his own end alot.
I’m fully confident this player can be replaced in time by better players.
The comments about Schultz and “US college D” are comical.
Jacob Trouba is a college D. So is Justin Faulk. So is Shattenkirk. Paul Martin. Duncan Keith? Yep spent over a year at a US college. Ryan McDonagh? Went to U. of Wisconsin. Ryan Suter? Also played at the U. of Wisconsin.
The problem is with Justin Schultz not “US college D”.
Any chance we can dress this guy and Jultz in the same equipment and send them out there as 1 skater?? Maybe get Jultz to sit on his shoulders and he can use the stick and this guy can do the skating??
No thank you, been there, done that, not happy with previous experience.
So your premise is “I tried it once, it didnt work great that one time so never do it again”? That’s rediculous.
I think the premise is “we’re going after the wrong type of dman”
We’ve had some draft picks that didn’t turn out, maybe we should stop drafting as well? Sound logic.
That’s a hasty generalization if I’ve ever seen one…
The key difference with the Oilers of today is that Reilly would not have a gift wrapped position in the starting lineup. If he’s not worthy he starts in the AHL.
Schultz on the other hand never had to really prove himself (or learn the game at a lower level). The philosophy with him was “throw him in with the sharks and see if he can swim.”
Once bitten, twice shy…………..