The Habs, who selected Finnish pivot Jesperi Kotkaniemi with choice number 3, reached an agreement with the
New York Islanders and
Buffalo Sabers to send captain
Max Pacioretty to Long Island for a first-round pick, then return him to Sabers in exchange for
Ryan O'Reilly , according to
Eric Engels of Sportsnet .
The Sabers chief executive, Jason Botterill, was asking for the third choice, which was not an option for Canadians. Canadian boss Marc Bergevin turned to the Isles, who had the 11th and 12th picks. It's unclear what other pieces may have been involved, but once prospects Oliver Wahlstrom and Noah Dobson fell in New York, the Islanders refused the deal, Engels said.