The saga has come to an end. The Colorado Avalanche have traded center Ryan O’Reilly and forward Jamie McGinn to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Nikita Zadorov, Mikhail Grigorenko, J.T. Compher and the 31st overall pick.
After multiple seasons of negotiation battles, including a botched offer sheet courtesy of Jay Feaster and the Calgary Flames, the two-way center has been dealt to a Sabres team that earlier today also acquired goaltender Robin Lehner. In 427 career NHL games, O’Reilly has 90 goals and 246 points, and is widely regarded as one of the better two-way centers in hockey. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2016-17, after a two-year deal with a six million dollar AAV. McGinn, 26, put up six points in 19 games this past season.
Zadorov, selected 13th overall in 2013, is thought to be one of the best up and coming offensive defencemen in the NHL, and has put up 15 points in 67 career games. He is set to become a restricted free agent in 2017-18. Mikhail Grigorenko, 21, was taken 12th overall in 2012, but hasn’t established himself as a productive NHL, with a mere 14 points in 68 games. Zadorov and Grigorenko will join a young Avalanche nucleus that includes Matt Duchene, Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon and Tyson Barrie.
Zadorov, Grigorenko, No. 31, mJT Compher for RYan Oreilly and Jamie McGinn.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) June 26, 2015
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