Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney did not wait long following his club’s 8-1 thumping at the hands of the Washington Capitals to make move in the trade market.
Sweeney acquired defensemen, Mike Reilly, from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for a third-round draft pick in 2022.
#NHLBruins acquire Mike Reilly from @Senators in exchange for 2022 3rd-round pick
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) April 12, 2021
Details: https://t.co/4Q2rcKnwTK pic.twitter.com/zCQvPsAjt3
Reilly, drafted 76th overall in the 2011 Entry Draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets, is a left-shot blueliner who is in the final year of a two-year, $3 million contact. The 27-year-old will be an unrestricted free agent following the season.
At 6-foot-1 and 199 pounds, the Minnesota native has a career-high 19 assists in 40 games for Ottawa and will bring much-needed depth to a Bruins team that is devastated by injuries on defense.
Mike Reilly, acquired by BOS, is a quite effective offensive defenceman who has had pretty remarkable underlying results since joining the Ottawa Senators. His transition skills are strong, awesome offence-driving and primary assist rates too. #LetsGoBruins pic.twitter.com/4K8TnOHBmX
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) April 12, 2021
Sunday night against the Washington Capitals, the Black and Gold rolled out defensive pairings of,
Jarred Tinordi-Jack Ahcan
Jeremy Lauzon-Connor Clifton
Jakub Zboril-Steven Kampfer
That’s not an ideal grouping to be sending out in front of rookie goalie Dan Vladar and the Capitals took full advantage with eight goals.
Bruins needed to make a move.
Trading for Reilly is bringing in a defenseman that ranks second in the league to Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche in 5-on-5 assists per 60 minutes at 1.27. Makar is 1.28.
Charlie McAvoy has missed the last four games with an upper-body injury, while Matt Grzelcyk was injured in Saturday’s 3-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. He left after the first period and did not return.
Brandon Carlo has played four periods of hockey since suffering a concussion on March 5 on a hit by the Capitals Tom Wilson. He is listed as week-to-week by the team. Kevan Miller, who played three good games on the recent road trip after a 46-day absence from issues with his surgically repaired knee, missed Sunday’s game for load management reasons.
This is a start by Sweeney to upgrade the roster and add depth to a team that needs it on defense. Sweeney still has until 3 p.m. today to add another blueliner or make a move to add secondary scoring.