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NHL Trade Rumors: Where will Buffalo Sabres’ Ryan O’Reilly end up?

By Jasmine Yen

TORONTO, ON - APRIL 2: Ryan O'Reilly #90 of the Buffalo Sabres skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at the Air Canada Centre on April 2, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Sabres 5-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ryan O'Reilly
TORONTO, ON - APRIL 2: Ryan O'Reilly #90 of the Buffalo Sabres skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at the Air Canada Centre on April 2, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Sabres 5-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ryan O'Reilly /
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A losing culture is what every NHL GM fears because of its parasitic nature. The Buffalo Sabres have been dealing with this problem for five years and Ryan O’Reilly is ready for a change according to the latest NHL trade rumors

The Buffalo Sabres have become synonymous with losing and are currently attempting their second rebuild in five years. Acquiring Jack Eichel in 2015 and now (assumedly) Rasmus Dahlin in the 2018 NHL Draft should give the team two young pillars to build around. One Sabres skater is not ready to go through another losing season – center Ryan O’Reilly. According to Darren Dreger, the latest NHL trade rumors have him departing from Buffalo.

At the locker room cleanout back in April, he opened up about his state of mind in Buffalo. “We’re stuck in this mindset of just being OK with losing,” said O’Reilly, via Buffalo News. “I feel throughout the year I’ve lost the love of the game multiple times.”

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If he has to go through another fruitless season, it might destroy him. The Sabres have already toyed with the idea of trading him and teams are sniffing around. He’s coming off the second-most productive season of his career, with 24 goals and 37 assists for 61 points.

O’Reilly is a great faceoff guy, winning 60 percent of his draws last season. His cap hit of $7.5 million may be steep, but there are teams who could afford that, especially with the cap ceiling expected to rise for next season.

With such a high-profile player rumored to be on the market, the speculation is massive. Every team could use a center like him but some teams that stick out are the Vancouver Canucks, Carolina Hurricanes, and Montreal Canadiens.

Vancouver Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks have lost their franchise faces, Daniel and Henrik Sedin. They will be looking for a veteran presence for their young guns and a reason for fans to go to games.

Carolina Hurricanes

The Hurricanes are close to a playoff formula. An addition like O’Reilly will make a huge impact on the team and will show their players that their time is now. The Canes have shown they are willing to trade almost any of their players to improve their team. They have a lot of young talent, such as Noah Hanifin, Justin Faulk, and Jeff Skinner, that the Sabres could be interested in.

Montreal Canadiens

It is no secret that the Canadiens are desperate for a first line center. They may be division rivals, but the Canadiens have shown that they will do ridiculous things under pressure. And there is a ton of pressure in Montreal right now. The Canadiens have the cap space (over $12 million), so if they trade for him, they will have at least $5 million left to spend.

Next: Sabres Offseason Outlook

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Whether he goes to any of these three teams is a shot in the dark but one thing is certain. O’Reilly is sick of losing and wants to play meaningful hockey again.

For updated NHL Trade Rumors, check out our Rumors page!

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