Mike Reilly, Defenseman for the Islanders, to Undergo Heart Surgery

The New York Islanders will be without defenseman Mike Reilly for an indefinite period of time as he undergoes a heart procedure on Tuesday, as announced by the team on Monday.

Reilly was unaware of his heart condition until it was discovered during testing for a concussion he suffered during a 4-3 win against the Buffalo Sabres on November 1st. He has been placed on injured reserve and has missed the team's last seven games.

According to Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello, the heart issue was detected during routine echocardiograms conducted as part of post-concussion testing. Lamoriello sees this as a blessing in disguise, as it is a condition that Reilly was born with but was previously unaware of.

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Lamoriello estimates that it could take \"several months\" for Reilly to return to the ice after the procedure. However, he assures that Reilly's quality of life will not be affected and he will be able to resume playing once he has recovered.

So far this season, Reilly, 31, has not recorded any points in 11 games for the Islanders.