EXCLUSIVE: Former Islanders Defensman Mike Reilly On Winning The Stanley Cup
After undergoing heart surgery in 2024 and facing questions about his playing future, former New York Islanders defenseman Mike Reilly completed a remarkable comeback & is now a Stanley Cup champion.
There have been some tremendous stories to come out of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final.
Former first-overall pick Taylor Hall finally reached the top of the mountain after 16 NHL seasons and stops with seven different organizations. Brandon Bussi, a 27-year-old undrafted goaltender and Long Island native, went from a player whose NHL future appeared uncertain to a Stanley Cup champion. Jordan Staal became the oldest player ever to win the Conn Smythe Trophy at age 37.
But one of the more underrated feel-good stories belongs to former New York Islanders defenseman Mike Reilly.