The Columbus Blue Jackets weren’t able to sign University of Minnesota defenseman Mike Reilly and he’s now able to become an unrestricted free agent.
Reilly was selected by Columbus in the fourth round (98th overall) of the 2011 NHL Draft. He was among college hockey’s best defensemen this season and tallied 42 points (six goals, 36 assists) in 39 games.
We saw a similar situation last year when former first-round pick and Boston College forward Kevin Hayes decided against signing with the Chicago Blackhawks (not a great move on his part) and chose the New York Rangers in free agency.
There were a few strong reactions to Reilly’s decision on Twitter, but the most notable one came from the Blue Jackets’ best player: No. 1 center Ryan Johansen.
[tweet https://twitter.com/RyanJohansen19/status/611259648583204864 align=”center”]
Johansen should be frustrated, but this criticism seems a little iffy considering he was involved in a lengthy and public holdout with the Blue Jackets last year. Johansen eventually signed a three-year deal, but he’s not exactly a shining example of a “team guy.”
Thumbnail photo via Twitter/maxthockey
