Montreal trades Mikey Reilly to Ottawa for Andrew Sturtz and draft pick
The Canadiens alleviate some of their defensive logjam.
Just prior to puck drop against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Montreal Canadiens made a small trade. They traded Mikey Reilly in a move that frees up a little cap room, and space on their crowded blue line, while also adding acquiring another future draft pick.
The Canadiens have acquired a fifth-round pick in 2021 from the Ottawa Senators, and forward Andrew Sturtz, in return for defenseman Mike Reilly. Details to come.#GoHabsGo
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) January 2, 2020
Reilly is now off to join the Ottawa Senators after failing to establish a place in the NHL line up this season. In 14 games for Montreal this year, Reilly amassed just four assists. Even when Victor Mete was injured he fell behind the call ups of Otto Leskinen and Gustav Olofsson on the depth chart. This move now frees up a space for Montreal on the left side of their defence which also has Xavier Ouellet and Karl Alzner as depth options.
In return, Montreal has added AHL forward Andrew Sturtz, and a 2021 fifth-round pick, a solid return for a player that wasn’t going to crack the Canadiens line up anytime soon. Sturtz has bounced between the AHL and ECHL this year, and will be a welcome sight for head coach Joël Bouchard, whose lineup depth has been decimated recently.
In 14 AHL games with the Belleville Senators this year, Sturtz has a goal and an assist, playing on one of the deeper teams in the AHL this year, he will likely join the Rocket in short order.