Mike Reilly has recently informed the Columbus Blue Jackets that he will explore the free agency market this summer, and today reports have come out saying that he will meet with several clubs at the Draft Combine and that the Blue Jackets have given him permission to talk to other teams in an attempt to speed up this entire high-tension purgatory. The response to this entire situation has pretty much been what you might come to expect: 5th Liners kicking and screaming, while at the same time fans from around the league are licking their chops and raising their hopes.
I only have a problem with the former.
Some fans have gone far enough to question Reilly’s personal character simply because he doesn’t want to sign with the team that drafted him. Yes, apparently we are now at the point that we are judging a kid’s character based on where he wants to play hockey for a living and consequently where he wants to cement himself in a new era of his life.
And this is why I have a problem with the former.
Mike Reilly and Gratitude.
Here’s a thing that might be hard to swallow: Reilly doesn’t owe the Blue Jackets or the city of Columbus anything.
Sure, the organization “believed” in him (if you consider drafting an athletic, puck-moving defenseman that’s committed to play at one of the best college hockey programs in the country at #98 overall “belief”). The fact of the matter is that drafting Reilly where the Jackets did wasn’t a gamble. It wasn’t a stretch. It wasn’t a do-or-die situation for Reilly and the Jackets didn’t really go out on a limb for him.
But yes, the Jackets did draft him, and maybe you think Reilly is eternally in debt to them for this “service” that they did for him, but let’s keep in mind that they also drafted him knowing that unrestricted free agency was a possibility for Reilly if he wasn’t sold on the organization when it was time for him to re-up his contract.
A while ago, Aaron Portzline decided to take to twitter in order to put some rumors to rest about why Reilly doesn’t want to be here.
Many have asked: Reilly's desire not sign with #CBJ and test UFA waters has nothing to do with term or money in his entry-level contract.
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) May 17, 2015
#CBJ were willing to give him both schedule A/B bonuses on the two-year ELC. No #NHL team can do more than that w this deal, per the CBA..
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) May 17, 2015
And Portzline brings up an interesting point that we really didn’t know before: the Blue Jackets are willing to give Reilly the best offer possible.
Amazingly enough, the problem with the Jackets signing a promising 20-something-year-old player that suddenly has “character issues” isn’t a money thing.
So when Reilly opts to "see what's out there" on the UFA market, it's all about the organization and its depth chart, not term and money.
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) May 17, 2015
Reilly’s problem is either the organization or the depth chart.
I feel safe dismissing the idea that it’s a depth chart problem that’s causing Reilly to look elsewhere, considering that Portzline has previously reported that the Blue Jackets are on the verge of re-hauling their defense.
So we’re stuck with the organization itself.
And although we all see the Blue Jackets as a team on the rise, we have to keep in mind that this is the same organization that has recently been known to value physical defenders over puck movers and a team who’s defensive evaluation has been called into question by some.
And on top of the defensive management this season, it’s a team with an internal cap and no sustained success in it’s history. And potentially the biggest thing that this team lacks for Reilly is that it isn’t in Minnesota or Chicago.
So is it really that hard to believe that maybe he can find somewhere better for himself?
I don’t know if these are the reasons why Reilly isn’t convinced with the Columbus Blue Jackets, but I do know that these are some of the reasons that I, a very devoted fan of the team, am not convinced with them yet; and I really can’t blame him if he, a very devoted player of the game, isn’t sold on the CBJ either.
The focus from the fans shouldn’t be on Mike Reilly, rather it should be on whatever makes Mike Reilly not want to be here instead. If you’re more annoyed with the prospect that doesn’t want to be here rather than the reason the prospect doesn’t want to be here then hopefully this article will help you see things differently in the future. Reilly has been afforded the opportunity to take advantage of the situation that has been given to him, should he really be punished for it?
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