3 NY Islanders Who May Be Gone by the Trade Deadline

Mike Reilly

Rielly joined the New York Islanders this offseason on a one-year deal worth $1.25 million. Reilly is coming off a great season in which he was part of the Florida Panthers Stanley Cup champion team.

Now in New York, Reilly will be looking to shore up the bottom pairing with the aforementioned Mayfield. While the Isles don’t expect overwhelming production from Reilly, the club will, nonetheless, expect consistent performance from the 31-year-old.

What makes Reilly a potential trade-deadline target is his role in the club. Reilly could be on the outside looking in if prospects like Travis Mitchell or Aiden Fulp have a great camp. If that’s the case, Reilly could be competing with younger blueliners for the final spot on the Isles’ back end.

As such, Reilly could be moved at the deadline to a team looking for depth defensive help, while the Isles get cap relief to add other pieces at the deadline. Plus, Reilly could become a complementary piece in a larger deal, allowing the Isles to secure the pieces it needs.

This final point could also become moot if Reilly has a great year and the Isles are in the thick of the playoff hunt. The Isles might choose to hold onto Reilly, keeping him as a depth defense option in case one of the younger players stands out.

Please bear in mind that if the Islanders fail to perform up to expectations this season, club management may look to shed payroll across the organization as it looks to secure the club’s best players. Of course, with Reilly set to hit free agency again this upcoming summer, the Isles could merely let him walk away next summer.