One team to watch out for in the coming months is the St Louis Blues. Not only to see how they perform for reaching the postseason but also at the trade deadline. They have been playing better as of late, but with two-star players being free agents after the year, moves could be made. If they are out of the playoff race they could move those stars for assets. Today we focus on a possible Ryan O’Reilly trade from the St. Louis Blues.
Ryan O’Reilly Trade Possible At Deadline
Rumour: Pierre Lebrun writes about the Toronto Maple Leafs internally discussing St Louis Blues Ryan O’Reilly
Pierre LeBrun writes that he thinks the Leafs have discussed acquiring Ryan O'Reilly internallyhttps://t.co/S3xa8ooIvJ pic.twitter.com/SNkXFEtZ8V
— Editor in J (@Account4hockey) December 15, 2022
O’Reilly could be a hot commodity come the trade deadline. A player of his calibre, while being three years removed from a Conn Smythe, would be a welcome addition to a contending team. Things are feeling different with the Toronto Maple Leafs this year. They are in the top five in the league and have a rock-solid top-six unit. In addition, the goaltending is thriving, but this would be a great addition for them as they look to escape the first round.
Toronto Gets Deeper
If there is one thing a Ryan O’Reilly trade would do is make Toronto deeper. The top six is stout with Auston Matthews and John Tavares leading the way. One area that needs improvement is the bottom six. The top six can score goals and is a large part of the teams production. The entire unit ranks in the top in points on the roster. Alexander Kerfoot is the only bottom-six players with double-digit point totals, which is not a recipe for success. They need depth and O’Reilly fits the bill.
O’Reilly can do it all. He can win faceoffs, is good on the forecheck, and is a well-known penalty killer. O’Reilly can easily anchor the third line and help spark the bottom six. This would give the Leafs something they haven’t had in years.
Toronto Swinging Big Is Worth It
I know every year folks say that this is the year Toronto gets out of the first round. But with a move like this, they really could. The big guns are playing great hockey for the club, and having a supporting cast at the bottom of the lineup would do wonders for the club. With the St Louis Blues playing inconsistent hockey, centre Ryan O’Reilly will be on the leafs radar as well as other contending teams.
