Hockey is a business, but there's a human side to things that makes some of the toughest decisions that much harder. On Saturday, the team was excited to get their captain, Jordan Staal, back into the lineup after missing a month with a partially torn calf. However, in order to activate him off the injured reserve list, it meant the team had to place someone on waivers.
While forward Nicolas Deslauriers was also an extra, the decision likely came down to one of the two defensemen, Mike Reilly or Juuso Valimaki. Ultimately, the team opted to waive Reilly. On Sunday, it was announced that Reilly was claimed by the Colorado Avalanche, bringing his time with the Hurricanes to an end.
Signed last offseason, Reilly played in 42 games for the Hurricanes last season, proving to be a valuable depth addition when the defense took several hits early. Reilly also stepped in to play two playoff games against Philadelphia, recording two assists. He didn't play during the Stanley Cup Final, but his games played during the regular season were enough to get his name on the Stanley Cup.
Returning on a one-year, two-way deal this summer, Reilly played eight games for the Canes after making the Opening Night roster. His only two points of the season came in the team's victory in Chicago, where he picked up a pair of assists. He last appeared on October 18 in Calgary, serving as the healthy extra on defense over the last month.
Valimaki took his spot in the lineup in Vancouver two nights later, and he hasn't looked back since. He has played in nine of the team's last 11 games, scoring three goals and adding an assist. One of those goals came during the Finland trip, giving him a cool moment in his home country. Valimaki earned this chance after he hadn't played in the NHL in almost two years following multiple surgeries.
With Alexander Nikishin's return to the team and a few NHL-ready defensive options in the AHL, letting Reilly go was a risk that the Canes were willing to take. Both he and Valimaki are left-handed shots playing on their right side in Carolina. Valimaki has a little more offensive upside than Reilly, and his being a few years younger could be seen as advantageous too.
For Colorado, this is a no-brainer. Their defense has been hit with some big injuries, especially on their right side. Cale Makar is out for two weeks, and Josh Manson isn't due back until around or after Christmas. Reilly can immediately slot in on their left side, but he can also play on the right side if needed. I'm not saying he's a long-term solution, though he can step in immediately to help.
Losing Reilly is tough for the Canes, especially with how well-liked it seemed he was in the locker room. He'll always be remembered as a Stanley Cup champion in Carolina. I won't say that the door is completely closed on his Carolina story just yet, since there are ways for him to return to the team in the future. Even if it is, we'll always appreciate what he brought to the table.
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