Devils Select Resilient 13-Year Old from Toms River in NHL Draft

NEWARK, NJ – Reilly Hoagland couldn’t find the words to describe his excitement when he found out the New Jersey Devils were going to select him with a special honorary draft pick as part of the 2020 NHL Draft during the team’s virtual draft party on Tuesday night.

It had been the 13-year-old Toms River, New Jersey native’s lifelong dream to one day become a Devil and his courageous fight against cystic fibrosis inspired the organization to fulfill his wish. Devils General Manager Tom Fitzgerald welcomed Reilly to the team in a video broadcast shortly after the team selected right winger Alexander Holtz with the seventh overall pick.

“I’ve heard a lot of amazing things about you from your speed to your shot your passion your commitment,” Fitzgerald explained. “(These are) all characteristics that we value as a New Jersey Devil. We look forward to seeing you at the rink soon.”

Reilly, who also plays right wing, said that this was the most memorable moment of his life.

This even beats the time when his team, the Toms River Black Hawks, won the New Jersey Youth Hockey League championship. By the way he also scored a goal in the finals as they defeated the Hunterdon Bears in comeback fashion capping off an undefeated season.

“Being selected by the Devils beats that by a lot,” he suggested.

Devils President Jake Reynolds was proud to be a part of bringing Reilly to the organization.

“When we heard Reilly’s story through our friends at Make-a-Wish NJ to become a New Jersey Devil, we knew we had to make it happen and pull out all of the stops along the way,” said New Jersey Devils President Jake Reynolds. “Reilly is an incredible young man with a bright future ahead of him. We look forward to the day when we can welcome Reilly and his family back into Prudential Center for an exciting day and a New Jersey Devils game.”

Although Reilly was diagnosed with the life-threatening condition cystic fibrosis at four years old, he has and continues to prevail as an athlete. He still has ambitions to one day take the ice with the Devils at the Prudential Center in front of the thousands of screaming and passionate hockey fans.

The Hoagland Family credits Dr. Robert Zanni in the Pediatric Pulmonology Department and Cystic Fibrosis Center at Monmouth Medical Center Diagnosed with the quality of life their son has been able to live and for putting together a game plan for a ‘smart way to play hockey.’ While Reilly has endured eight surgeries in his lifetime, he continues to fight valiantly while carrying an upbeat personality.

There is also a strict daily regimen that Reilly must follow which includes wearing a vest that shakes him for a half hour and Nebulizer treatment even when he’s on the road. They’ve also integrated Trikafta, a new twice-a-day breakthrough triple combination therapy medication that expects to make a big difference as demonstrated in early trials.

Reilly’s story serves as an inspiration to those close to him and offers hope in a time of need.

“Don’t let the odds define you,” a confident Reilly asserted. “Just keep reaching towards your goal and you’ll get there.”

Predictably, Reilly’s parents are his biggest fans and it is clear that is where his resilient character comes from.

“With everything in life, just keep pushing forward,” his dad, Sean said. “Work hard at everything and do your best.”

Meanwhile, his mother Laurie recalled a time when she practically crawled past the finish line of the 10K in the Boomer Esiason Run to Breathe and she says it was her son who inspired her to literally go the extra mile.

“What he faces in life, I have no excuse but to just go out there and do it,” Laurie said. “Every year we’ve done it and every year I’m out there. I’m usually one of the last ones to finish every year to come rolling in out of 7,000 runners but I still get out there and do it.”

Reilly’s ambitions were made possible with the assistance of those at the Make-A-Wish Foundation in New Jersey, which has helped children live their dreams for decades.

“Our mission is simple, but its impact is life-changing. The wishes we grant every day remind us that inspiration and imagination play an important role in the life of a child with a critical illness,” explained Tom Weatherall, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish New Jersey. “Over the past 40 years, we’ve seen time and again in kids like Reilly that a wish serves as a beacon of hope during challenging times. Make-A-Wish was founded on the idea that every child battling a critical illness deserves to imagine the seemingly impossible, and that a wish can be a game-changer during a child’s fight against a life-threatening medical condition.”

Reilly’s wish experience will continue next year, when he and his family will join his fellow Devils at The Prudential Center for a game. Due to current public health concerns amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Reilly’s in-arena experience at Prudential Center will take place when it is once again safe to do so.