It’s time for another edition of our NHL rumours. We’re nearing the March 3 trade deadline and general managers have tough choices to make. There are a number of teams that are stuck in a no man’s land where they’re not good enough to be a Stanley Cup threat. However, they’re not good enough to tank for Connor Bedard. The St Louis Blues are a team in the middle and could a Ryan O’Reilly trade happen? Today’s NHL rumours delve into that possibility.
All NHL rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours: Ryan O’Reilly Trade A Possibility
Rumour: The latest edition of TSN’s Insider Trading speculated on if the Blues captain could be on the move. St. Louis’ star forward is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. There’s a worry that he and Vladimir Tarasenko could both walk for nothing in the coming off-season. However, TSN’s Darren Dreger and the rest of the panel focused on the former Conn Smythe winner.
INSIDER TRADING: #TSNHockey Insiders discuss…
– O’Reilly officially in play
– Deadline case of Timo Meier
– Domi a target for cap-crunched teams
– Dorion open to trades
– Trade challenges for TB
– Leafs interested in extending TimminsWATCH 🌍: https://t.co/qNaMdZODMt pic.twitter.com/Vo22xmVPbt
— TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) January 24, 2023
O’Reilly is dealing with a broken foot and that may have stalled early trade talks. However, he should be ready to go by the time the trade deadline rolls around. The right trade package could see the Clinton, Ontario native be on the move.
What a Ryan O’Reilly Trade Means
The Blues aren’t going to just hand over the veteran forward for nothing. Dreger stated that the Blues and general manager Doug Armstrong will wait and see. St Louis will want some sort of combination of picks, prospects and players before making a deal.
One thing complicating a possible trade is the Blues’ playoff positioning. They are six points away from the second wild card spot in the Western Conference. Teams on the fringe may be nervous about going all-in or letting assets walk for nothing. The Blues could go for broke if things break the right way if they get closer to the spot. However, the signs of a rebuild could be screaming out to Armstrong.
