|
Botterill: Unload The Brinks Truck For O’Reilly |
|
|
|
|
|
Jason Botterill has set the bar very high on his center Ryan O’Reilly. Botterill is t shopping O’Reilly. However, he’s taking offers. Don’t bother wasting Botterill’s time though.
Darren Dreger was a guest on The Instigators radio show on Friday morning. Dreger told Andrew Peters, Craig Rivet and Marty Biron that Botterill has been testing for echo on O’Reilly. If you want the 200 foot, 60+ point, 60% faceoff guy, you better be prepared to back up the Brinks truck.
“The message that I got specific to Ryan O’Reilly – it’s got to be the right return,” said Dreger. “I know that Buffalo has asked for the third pick overall from the Montreal Canadiens. Why wouldn’t you? Doesn’t mean you’re going to get it, but you’re certainly not going to get it if you don’t ask for it. Is Jason Botterill willing to soften off that? We’re going to find out.
“What we know is that when you move a piece like that, there’s some inherent risk with the inexperience that you have in your lineup. Are they absolutely certain that Casey Mittelstadt can handle that role as second line center. If you think that he can, and you get the deal for Ryan O’Reilly that makes sense, then you make that deal.
“But as of last night, it didn’t sound like it was very close.”
Marc Bergevin won’t go there on O’Reilly. Bergevin’s eyes are bigger than his stomach.
Will there be other risk takers who go all in on O’Reilly?
A new rumor made the round on Friday morning that San Sharks GM doug Wilson is zeroing in on O’Reilly. Wilson went all-in on Evander Kane. Might be double down on O’Reilly?
If so, Wilson better be prepared to trade a veteran top six center in Logan Couture to the Sabres as a Part of the compensation package. Logan is UFA next July and will earn $6M next season. Couture will be looking for $7M to $7.5M AAV on a long term contract extension. Couture is a center. ROR center. There would have to be more pieces going Buffalo’s way in a trade for O’Reilly. Wilson would have to include his 2018 first rounder and goalie Aaron Dell.
If not Couture the Tomas Hertl, who is 24 and is a pending RFA. Hertl and ROR are repped by Newport Sports. Hertl plays center and wing.
Couture is 29. Hertl is 24.
Dell should be a part of any trade for O’Reilly.
Philly would have to trade forward Travis Konecny, D prospect Sam Morin and a goalie prospect Carter Hart to Buffalo in exchange for O’Reilly.
St. Louis would have to trade forward Robby Fabbri, a prospect forward in Jordan Kyrou or Tage Thompson. Buffalo will need pending UFA goalie Carter Hutton as well.
O’Reilly led the NHL and set a career high with a faceoff win percentage of 60.0%. It was the best season by a Sabres center since the NHL began publishing FO% in 1997-98:
Ryan O’Reilly – 60.0% (2017-18)
Paul Gaustad – 59.8% (2010-11)
Chris Gratton – 58.9% (2002-03)
Chris Drury – 58.8% (2006-07)
Ryan O’Reilly – 58.0% (2016-17)
O’Reilly also led the NHL in faceoffs won, edging out Rod Brind’Amour (1,268 in 2005-06) to set an NHL record for the most by any NHL player in a season. His 954 wins at even strength shattered the previous single-season record (Brind’Amour, 870 in 2001-02).
ROR's 29 faceoff wins on February 11 vs. Colorado set a single-game franchise record and tied as the sixth most wins by a player since the league began tracking faceoff stats in the 1997-98 season.
O’Reilly became just the third player ever to win at least 1,000 faceoffs in a season while maintaining a faceoff percentage of at least 59 percent, joining Brind’Amour (five times) and Patrice Bergeron (two times).
O'Reilly scored 24 goals and 37 assists for 61 points this season. He scored 15 15 PPG and skated 20:49 TOI. He scored 20 goals and 35 assists in 72 games in 2016-17 and 21 goals, 39 assists in 71 games in 2015-16.
Thanks, Nichols On Hockey
***
Robin Lehner has played his last game for the Buffalo sabres. Botterill confirmed Lehner’s departure at his Friday morning media scrum.
In his theee seasons in Buffalo, Lehner won 42 games and lost 61 games. He posted a .916 save percentage and 2.77 goals against average.
Lehner was a big believer in the Buffalo community and truly exemplified the blue collar, lunch bucket work ethic of Western New Yorkers. Injuries plagued Lehner in his three seasons in Buffalo.
Prospect Linus Ullmark will not be given the cage for 82 games. He will need help. Botterill is now looking for a veteran tendy to help Ullmark to develop. Botterill said Ullmark will be Buffalo’s #2 next season.
I see Botterill targeting Washington Capitals goalie Philipp Grubauer. I also see him being interested in Carter Hutton.
**
Like many of his GM counterparts, Botterill would like to get his hands on another top ten pick at the draft.
Join the Discussion:
»