Things didn’t quite work out the way Ryan O’Reilly was hoping they would during his three-year stint in Buffalo, but he still believes the organization is headed in the right direction.
On Sunday night, the 27-year-old was traded to the St. Louis Blues for a hefty package that included Patrik Berglund, Vladimir Sobtkoa, Tage Thompson, and a first-round pick in the 2019 draft. After the deal was struck, O’Reilly shared some encouraging parting words, insisting the Sabres are “very close”, are in “good hands” and that “there’s great things to come.”
Sure, departing players are expected to leave with class and part with their former organization on good terms. But O’Reilly’s words are worth noting based on some of his comments in the past. The Ontario native insisted earlier in the year that the Sabres were “stuck in this mindset of being just okay with losing," and that their mediocrity has been “dissapointing”. So it’s not exactly surprising to see him on the move.
O’Reilly isn’t wrong in his belief that the Sabres are close. Jack Eichel is already an All-Star, Casey Middlestadt has the look of being a potential top-line forward and 2018 NHL draft pick Rasmus Dahlin should be an anchor on their back end for years to come. So yes, things are in fact looking up.
O’Reilly will face his old team for the first time when the Blues host the Sabres on December 27th.
(H/T Mike Harrington)
