I have issues with a few things in this reasoning.
O'Reilly + 1st for Yandle won't happen for a lot of reasons.
First, Yandle isn't a guy you build around. He's from Boston and always talks about how he loves Boston. Watch him sign with them once his contract expires.
This shouldn't be a big concern. It's four years away. If he's so dead set on going to Boston, how come all he says is that he wants to spend his whole career in Phoenix, and doesn't want to leave? Because he likes the team. He's got four years to love being in Colorado with the Avs, which has as good a shot at winning him over as a place like Phoenix did.
You can't be worried about players going back home, otherwise you'd eliminate pretty much any Canadian player. Especially when the one we're talking about is under contract for four years.
He's a guy you bring in when the team in ready and go for the cup with. Avs window won't be open for a while yet.
Why is that the only time you can bring in a top pairing defenseman? Especially one that's 26 and enterring his prime? And how are they ever going to get to be a cup contender with just EJ? Hell, how are they ever gonna make the playoffs? It's such a glaring need
right now.
Secondly, Avs aren't trading their first, having traded their first last year. You can't have huge gaps when it comes to getting young talent.
It depends on the kind of talent we're talking about, and what kind of players are on the team. Outside the top ten isn't can't miss talent, and the Avs have a solid core of youngsters as it is. Plus they would then have a top pairing defenseman they didn't have before. One they would be very unlikely to find in the 1st any time soon, and one that has already been developed, and by a team that knows how to develop a defenseman.
Third, there is no way Phoenix will pay O'Reilly what he wants. They are a big time budget team and can't have a 21-22 year old guy break the bank. It would go against pretty much everything Maloney has done there.
They would be saving money. He'll make less than Yandle, and pretty much everyone on Phoenix's board agrees that with their D core, if they are going to spend the little money they have, it needs to be at center.
Plus, since O'Reilly was apparently close in the summer with the Avs before he got upset, it's highly likely his demands will decrease if he is traded to a team that is showing they value him.
I don't see how it's interesting even as a hypothetical because it's so unrealistic.
It's not that unrealistic, you just don't want it to happen. Lets be fair.