NY Islanders defenseman Mike Reilly plans to return this season after heart surgery

New York Islanders defenseman Mike Reilly was back in front of fans on Tuesday night, among the players taking part in a season ticket holder Q&A event at UBS Arena.

Reilly spoke about what the past few months were like for him after uncovering a heart condition during routine testing following a serious concussion sustained on Nov. 1st in Buffalo when he was hit by Sabres forward Jordan Greenway and fell hard to the ice.

"It was picked up through the different echocardiograms that you do for different reasons that you go through with any post-concussion situation," GM Lou Lamoriello said in mid-November.

The concussion ended up being a silver lining,

"After I got the concussion, I was preparing to come back probably in a couple of weeks ... did some additional testing and found out what was going on inside of me, said Reilly, who is in his second season with the Islanders. "Everything kind of took a 180."

The Islanders claimed Reilly off waivers last season from the Florida Panthers, and he instantly became a valuable part of their blue line, scoring six goals and adding 18 assists in 59 games as a puck-moving defenseman that bolstered the offensive production from the backend.

This summer, the Islanders re-signed him to a one-year contract worth $1.25 million, and he entered the year as their sixth defenseman. While Dennis Cholowski and Isaiah George have filled in admirably in his absence, the loss of Reilly has been overlooked as a contributing factor to the team's struggles this season.

"I've been skating, working out a lot, and going with the process here, which is taking some time, but I'm hoping to come back here by the end of the season for sure," said Reilly.

When he comes back, how he plays when he does is not important. Returning from a concussion and heart surgery in the same season will inspire his teammates and be a testament to Reilly's perseverance and dedication. Everyone is rooting for him to do so.