It seems like mentally some pundits haven't realized what lower scoring levels means.
O'Reilly, since being used on a scoring line from 2011 and forward, is 33rd in center PPG with a 57 point pace.
There are only 15 centers on a 70 point pace and six centers that are PPG (Crosby, Malkin, Stamkos, Giroux, Tavares, Bäckström).
Add that O'Reilly is better defensively than most than a handful of the centers above him and it's bizarre to call him a third line center. If he's one Backes, Plekanec, Kesler also are.