Todd Cordell: Reilly Eyeing The Blackhawks?

Could it be that his playing style matches the Hawks style more closely than it does with the Jackets or the Wild?
If you are a free-wheeling offensive defenceman, wouldn't you want to play with a team that plays an open style? There may be merit to these rumours and he may be in Bowman's hip pocket already waiting for the legally correct date to make the announcement.
I would feel sympathy for the team losing him if it were not for the Kevin Hayes situation last summer. Enough of this has to happen so that the necessary changes are made to the next players' contract to prevent it.

Todd Cordell: Reilly Eyeing The Blackhawks?
- Todd-Cordell

Provorov here we come .

What's the scouting report on Reilly? Comparables?

What's the scouting report on Reilly? Comparables?
- Dannyboy

Jultz

He's 5'11" 170lbs. His size and scouting report read very similar to Duncan Keith's scouting report coming out of school (though I'm not a big fan of comps overall), and aligns with the type of defensemen that the Hawks seem to prefer -- mobile, great first pass, offensively inclined.

Per Hockey's Future:
"Reilly is a great puck moving defenseman with good vision and a strong shot. His biggest improvements need to be on the defensive side of the game, starting with his positioning but that should come with maturity. Reilly has added 30 pounds to his once questionable frame since being drafted which has made him much more effective in his own zone. He has great instincts on when to the join the rush and excels on the power play.

Reilly is now in his junior season at the University of Minnesota in 2014-15 along with his brothers, Connor and Ryan (both forwards). The Golden Gophers are once again one of the top teams in college hockey and Mike Reilly is among the team leaders in assists, points and plus/minus. His skill set and production suggest that he is ready to make the jump to pro hockey following this season but he is just likely to return for his senior season to finish out his career with his brothers. Reilly projects to being an offensive, top pairing defenseman at the NHL level one day."

don't know what the big deal is with this kid for god sakes he was a 4th round pick 3yrs ago i believe. so what he played good in college for a couple yrs. he is now at the iihf worlds and has not done much at all. this only means he could be a good players yrs to come. he certainly isn't the next weber or anything like that.I personally hope columbus never takes a college kid as long as their is a loop hole that let's these kids walk out on the team that drafts them. I watched this kid play and i believe he would be a 2nd 0r 3rd draft pick still. so he moved up a couple of rounds from when he was taken the last time. kid is a john moore player that will go team to team in a few yrs after starting his career in the nhl.5th or 6th or even a 7th defenseman. the three top defenseman in this coming draft will be better players and have longer shelf life in the nhl

Rich get richer

That's what many were saying about Hayes last year.

Reilly may not even be rated in the top 4 d prospects in Chicago right now. Johns, TVR, Pokka, Paliotta are probably 1-4 and more behind....

Paliotta was a similar story. He was drafted lower but developed a lot in college. He could have opted to go free agent but recognized the Hawks now have a great development system and spend on prospects. Something budget teams don't have the ability to match.

So, Reilly has grown to be 6'1", 185, and was one of the three best players in college hockey this year, shown by his Hobey Baker finalist status. He is a great prospect, having developed over the last 3 years, and according to CBJ scouts would be a mid first round pick this year. This has nothing to do with money-he gets the same entry level contract no matter where he signs. I don't get why he has not officially withdrawn from Minnesota yet, since that will start the clock as to when he could be a free agent. I agree that he will probably go elsewhere, but the Blue Jackets absolutely want this kid in Columbus-where he would probably play next year.

So, if you are not going to sign any college players as long as the "loophole" exists, you passing on Jack Eichel? Werensky from Michigan (who is in this year's top 10)?