How perfect a hockey player is Ryan O'Reilly?

[stokes84]

He's a top 10 center in the league right now.

 

[Samsonite23]

Got a good glance at him against the Flames the other night. The guy commands the game when he is on the puck. His zone entries are conducted with space and confidence, and this often creates chances. One of the best qualities you can ask from your top line C.

He will only get better and that awesome for Sabres.

He said he was terrible that game in his post game interview. Said it was embarrassing...

He's always pushing himself to be better. Holds his own practices to help his teammates improve. I honestly can't say enough good things about him.

 

[Mattilaus]

It's kind of nauseating to see how this guy went from almost winning "most overrated player in the league" threads and being called an overrated third line centre, or just a good second liner, or just Tyler Bozak (certain Leaf fans...) when he was on the Avs for almost two straight years...to people doing a complete 180 the moment he's off the team. Well, at least he's getting the respect he finally deserves now, but...yeesh. This board sure is a hive mind.

Guessing a lot of it has to do with the change from the West to the East. Earlier game times and more games against big markets like Leafs, Habs, Rangers have lead to more people taking notice.

 

[MonyontheMoney]

Love him. Just one of those guys who is never complacent and will always work to get better. He's probably the perfect guy for Buffalo to have around Eichel, Reinhart and company.

 

[thebigbea]

one of the best for sure... good at everything on the ice..

 

[Girouxtiful]

What seems remarkable to me is his ability to stay healthy. Seems like his fitness is second to none, and he doesn't seem to slow down or gas out like some other players. This translates to a guy that can play 20+ minutes every night, is almost always available for PP or PK duties, and will still be doing his job even if he ends up out there for a tough 2-minute shift.

If I recall correctly, his girlfriend/wife got him into yoga a few years ago and he gives that a lot of credit for his ability to stay healthy. There's a lot of credence to that idea. Sure it's nice to be huge and muscular, but if you're not taking care of the things that keep you going outside of the stuff that you hit in the weightroom, you're gonna find yourself dealing with a lot of nagging injuries and are more likely to have something catastrophic. Think ACL, wrists, etc. Anyone familiar with the story?

 

[josra33]

Note I didn't say he was the best player! As a Sabres fan I watch this guy's every shift, I've never seen a player like this, he's a machine, doesn't cheat the game for one second of any game he plays in. Best Sabres player since Lafontaine in my opinion.

Well since you technically cant get better than perfect... then he would at worst be tied for the best.

 

[Joe Sakic]

He's an incredible hockey player. Should've kept him instead of signing Iginla and Soderberg.

 

[Meichel Kane]

you know you're a bad team when your best player is Ryan O'Reilly...and your coach is Dan Bylsma...

OK Betty.

 

[Mrb1p]

Hes not perfect.. Hes a 60 points 2 way C

 

[EichHart]

Hes not perfect.. Hes a 60 points 2 way C

His pace last year before injury was over 70 pts as a 2 way all purpose C. Those rarely exist outside of Toews, Bergy, Kopitar. I did not realize how good he was until we got him on our team. Just does everything at a very high level, such a pleasure to watch.

 

[22FUTON9]

He's really fricking good.

I still find it funny that people who probably don't watch him consider him overrated and an 'okay' player

 

[Joe Sakic]

He's really fricking good.

I still find it funny that people who probably don't watch him consider him overrated and an 'okay' player

This.

Seems us and Buffalo fans are the only ones that get that.

 

[Nucker101]

Avs might be happy with the return, but it's harder to find a ROR than it is to acquire the pieces Colorado received in that deal.

 

[squirrelbait]

I was crestfallen when it was clear the Avs and O'Reilly weren't going to make a deal. Easily my favourite player.

 

[Thorton02]

Guessing a lot of it has to do with the change from the West to the East. Earlier game times and more games against big markets like Leafs, Habs, Rangers have lead to more people taking notice.

This. It's such a PIA to watch the west coast games and it sucks that I'm missing out on some amazing hockey.

I spent a week in San Francisco and it was awesome to see games start at 4pm only to have another come on at 7 or 8. Thats what I wish we had on the east coast.

 

[FDBluth]

Can someone explain to me how this guy didn't end up in jail?

 

[cgf]

What seems remarkable to me is his ability to stay healthy. Seems like his fitness is second to none, and he doesn't seem to slow down or gas out like some other players. This translates to a guy that can play 20+ minutes every night, is almost always available for PP or PK duties, and will still be doing his job even if he ends up out there for a tough 2-minute shift.

If I recall correctly, his girlfriend/wife got him into yoga a few years ago and he gives that a lot of credit for his ability to stay healthy. There's a lot of credence to that idea. Sure it's nice to be huge and muscular, but if you're not taking care of the things that keep you going outside of the stuff that you hit in the weightroom, you're gonna find yourself dealing with a lot of nagging injuries and are more likely to have something catastrophic. Think ACL, wrists, etc. Anyone familiar with the story?

Not getting involved in any physical stuff helps him there to. It's actually crazy how good he is with his stick that he can get away with not playing the body and still be elite defensively.

 

[cgf]

Avs might be happy with the return, but it's harder to find a ROR than it is to acquire the pieces Colorado received in that deal.

Given the way Zadorov has played this season, I'm not sure how much longer that'll be true.

Yikes.

Watch Zadorov play a few games n get back to me.

 

[Il Stugotz]

Can someone explain to me how this guy didn't end up in jail?

The state couldn't prove he was the driver

 

[Galactico]

Can't believe we traded him for Grigorenko and Zadorov... We had Duchene, Mack, Stastny and O'Reilly and lost the last 2 almost for free. *sigh*

Instead of paying him, we signed a past past-prime Iginla and Brad Stuart.... What a huge mistake.

 

[22FUTON9]

I'm really happy with Zads and Grigs but boy I still wish we had him. Duchene and him were magic back in 13-14

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Love the player. I bet Avs fans will happily take Gardiner or Kadri now that they have seen what they got for him.

Leafs should have tried hard to get him. You can count on him in every situation.

Nope, would happily take Zadorov over the Leafs package. The guy is quickly becoming a monster on the back end for us. And I was actually a pretty big skeptic of his last year.

 

[PAZ]

Avs might be happy with the return, but it's harder to find a ROR than it is to acquire the pieces Colorado received in that deal.

ROR wasn't thought of as a legitimate #1 C around the league when he was traded unless you were an Avs fan or Jay Feaster. Anyways, the Avs signed Iginla and Stuart the previous years which basically meant we couldn't sign ROR. It's not that we didn't want to resign him, we didn't want to sign him to a 7.5 mil AAV when we had so much young talent and signed two dinosaurs.

As for the return, Zadarov, Grigorenko, Compher (+Greer/Morrisson) have all developed really well. It isn't a bunch of 2nd/3rd line ceiling tweeners like Shinkaruk, Zadarov has #2/3 potential and Grigorenko has top 6 potential. Both are currently in those positions and looking really good.

 

[Aladyyn]

Avs might be happy with the return, but it's harder to find a ROR than it is to acquire the pieces Colorado received in that deal.

Zadorov has top pairing potential. Not that easy to find if he does reach it.