Nobody knows what team Mike Reilly will sign with but it won't be the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Reilly has narrowed his list down to two or three teams and the team that drafted him is not on that list, according to Aaron Portzline.
"The Blue Jackets learned early this afternoon that prospect defenseman Mike Reilly -- a member of the organization since he was drafted in 2011 -- has ruled out singing with Columbus and will sign elsewhere as a free agent on or after July 1.Sources told The Dispatch that Reilly has narrowed his list of possible destinations to two or three NHL clubs. Chicago, Minnesota, Los Angeles and the New York Rangers are among the clubs that have made a push to sign Reilly."
It's not at all surprising that Reilly will be taking his talents elsewhere.
He's been talking to other NHL teams since the Blue Jackets gave him permission to do so at the combine. At this point he's had ample time to weigh his options and if he wanted to sign with Columbus he would have done so by now.
While Portzline didn't specify the teams on his short list, it's probably a safe bet that both Chicago and Minnesota are on it.
The Blackhawks have won three Stanley Cups in the last six years and could offer him an immediate spot on the roster. That's tough for anyone to turn down.
Meanwhile Minnesota is a solid team and Reilly's dad is a minority owner so that will surely help make the Wild more attractive. It probably doesn't hurt that Reilly played college hockey in Minnesota, either.
Reilly could end up elsewhere, obviously, but these two teams seem to have had the leg up since Day 1 so it shouldn't be a surprise that they haven't been ruled out.
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