It’s time for another round of NHL rumours. The fallout is still being felt from the Toronto Maple Leafs being eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs. There are some large decisions looming for the club and changes to be made. A number of players have expressed an interest in wanting to come back. However, the numbers may prevent that from happening. Today’s NHL rumours will look at Ryan O’Reilly free agency test.
All NHL rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours
Ryan O’Reilly to Enter Free Agency
Rumour: TSN’s Chris Johnston said that the trade deadline acquisition will likely test free agency this offseason. O’Reilly didn’t explicitly say that he was going to test the waters, but sounded like he was inclined to explore his value. An extension with the club doesn’t seem likely, but never rule it out.
Ryan O'Reilly says he hasn't given much thought to his pending unrestricted free agency, but he certainly sounded more inclined to test the open market on July 1 than try and work out an extension with the #leafs.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) May 15, 2023
The veteran forward came over from the St. Louis Blues at the trade deadline. He was bit by the injury bug that limited him to 53 games and 16 goals this season. The Clinton, Ontario native scored three goals in 11 post-season games with the Leafs. He also offers a veteran presence in the locker room and can help on the defensive end.
Impact of Ryan O’Reilly Going to Free Agency
Making the numbers work to bring back O’Reilly will really be hard. There’s talk of one or more of the core four likely to move on from the club. There’s also trying to find money to make Ilya Samsonov get a well-deserved raise.
Toronto is going to perpetually up against the cap, so there’s not much hope of O’Reilly returning to the team. The Blues and Wild had to retain some salary to make the deal happen. O’Reilly likely won’t take a discount to stay with the club. This is despite saying glowing things about the club. However, this might be the last chance for the 32-year-old to score a big contract.
Main photo by: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
