Ryan O'Reilly is about out of Colorado and it would be great if the Sabres got him. He is a top-6 forward who could play either center on the wing. He is a two-way player who can score but play defense and shut down opponent's top lines. O'Reilly has one year left on his deal and it appears he'll be too rich for Colorado to sign.
The Avalanche have already given some of their high draft picks contract extensions in recent seasons (Matt Duchene and Gabriel Landeskog) and the top pick of the 2013 NHL Draft Nathan MacKinnon's entry level deal is up after next season. They'll need to save some room for that. They already let Paul Stastny go in free agency last season and will likely let O'Reilly go, but not before his contract is up.
The asking price might be high to get O'Reilly out of Colorado. I don't think any team (including the Sabres) will trade for him unless they agree to a contract extension with O'Reilly first. It could mean at least this year's 21st overall pick and maybe next year's first along with prospects such as a defenseman and a forward. I know some have their heart set on giving up Jake McCabe but they'd want a top-3 either Zadorov or Pysyk. Obviously they'd want Ristolainen but he's untouchable. He's the only untouchable player on this team except Jack Eichel.
I bet many want the Sabres to deal Grigerenko even though he's an RFA because Patrick Roy was his junior coach. Do they want someone who is considered scrap? I bet they'd want someone like JT Compher, Hudson Fasching, and Justin Bailey. They might however want Sam Reinhart. Would you be ok and comfortable to trade Reinhart?
I definitely don't need Reinhart traded. I'd love to see how he'd do here in Buffalo. However, he's not untradable either. I'd definitely believe he'll be a very good player because he was drafted 2nd overall and players drafted at the top of the draft are usually good. I trust in the system. He may or may not be a star however. He'll definitely generate interest in a trade that's for sure.
There's a chance Reinhart can be better than O'Reilly but it's possible he'd end up just as good. That being 20-30 goals, 55-65 points, and being a very good two-way center either 2nd or even 3rd line of Girgensons is the 2nd line center. Of course if he's going to be as good as O'Reilly maybe just make the trade then for O'Reilly.
We kind of forget about Reinhart with the addition of Jack Eichel and we'll be good with or without Reinhart. Make no mistake I'm not advocating for him to be gone lthat's not what I'm saying. I'm saying if a trade makes this team better than explore that option and don't be afraid of him possibly being a star elsewhere. Tim Murray definitely does not worry about what anyone does elsewhere unlike Darcy Regier because he only cares about how this team does. If the other player turns out great than that's super. It's actually good to have deals help out other teams or else they won't want to deal with you.
O'Reilly's career high in goals and points are 28 and 64 in 2013-14. He also led the NHL in takeaways that season as well. He's great defensively and is a very good possession player. He also usually leads his team in ice time as well. It's amazing how great of a two-way possession player he is on one of the worst possession teams in hockey and one of the analytically challenged organizations in the NHL.
Does it scare you to possibly trade Reinhart, Zadorov, or Pysyk? It should but hockey trades for good players needs to include good players and players you aren't comfortable to part ways with. Even the Evander Kane deal might have had its share of detractors whether you hate trading Joel Armia or Brendan Lemieux or maybe even Tyler Myers if you were one of the ones who still had hope in him.
I remember people used to say "let's trade Ryan Miller for Patrick Kane or Ryan Getzlaf or Cory Parry" and I'd be like who else you want to give up because Miller alone won't do it. You'd have to trade Myers when he was at his best just to get the conversation started. Unlike video games, you can't trade your garbage you don't want for someone great, it doesn't work that way. You need to trade someone you don't necessarily want to part ways with. I'm just warning all you that it might include Reinhart or Zadorov.
But if you want to win now and improve the roster, you have to make tough decisions and Tim Murray is the man to make them. He won't always be right just a heads up but I think he'll be more right than wrong.
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