In today’s NHL rumors rundown, the Toronto Maple Leafs have gone all-in, acquiring Ryan O’Reilly and Noel Acciari in a trade from the St. Louis Blues. The move runs counter to what GM Kyle Dubas spoke of when he said he wasn’t likely to give up huge assets for rentals. Why did the Leafs pull the trigger on this? Meanwhile, what are the St. Louis Blues doing? Will they continue to sell? Were they always going to move O’Reilly? There is also some news on the Philadelphia Flyers and James van Riemsdyk, plus news on the Washington Capitals and Dmitry Orlov.
Are Maple Leafs Thinking of Signing O’Reilly?
O’Reilly and Acciari are rentals and the Maple Leafs gave up four picks to land them. Moving a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th round pick to make this happen, the organization now has only five of 12 picks (rounds one through four) in the next three drafts. Not only that, but James Mirtle of The Athletic writes, “There have been rumours for a while now, going back to well before Dubas proclaimed as much in his recent comments to the Toronto media, that the Leafs weren’t going to move their top pick for a rental.” So why do this deal?
Mirtle notes:
So, either a “you can’t trade the pick” edict wasn’t actually in place this year, or there was a change of heart because O’Reilly was a perfect fit. Or maybe the Leafs are hoping to get him locked in on an extension, removing the “rental” piece from the equation. Perhaps how that plays out depends on how he fits in the rest of the way. (It’s not believed there have been contract talks as of yet.)
source – ‘ Mirtle: Why Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas went all-in on a Ryan O’Reilly trade’ – James Mirtle – The Athletic – 02/18/2023
Pierre LeBrun writes, “I don’t expect contract talks between newly acquired Ryan O’Reilly and the Leafs for now. But Toronto would have been high on the pending UFA’s list for July 1 so there might be mutual interest after the season.”
When it comes to what else the Maple Leafs might do, Mirtle also points out that the team could send down Joey Anderson and Jordie Benn to create more room and add on the blue line before March 3. That said, they don’t have many picks left, so the big moves are likely done.
Sheldon Keefe says Ryan O’Reilly and Noel Acciari were both “adamant” about making their Leaf debuts tonight against Montreal.
Why Did Blues Make This Deal Now?
Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic writes that there is some surprise in St. Louis based on when this deal was done. The Blues had been playing better, there was chatter that O’Reilly thought the team could get into the postseason and, he had noted he wanted to stay. Still, the GM pulled the trigger quickly.
Rutherford writes:
The GM, some believe, has had a plan for some time about which direction he wanted to go with the roster in the wake of what Armstrong himself called the most disappointing regular season of his managing career. That plan included trading O’Reilly before the deadline, even though the two sides had discussions recently on a possible contract extension.
source – ‘‘A bit of shock’: Why the Blues traded Ryan O’Reilly now — and what comes next’ – Jeremy Rutherford – The Athletic – 02/18/2023
Could O’Reilly return to the Blues this summer? Rutherford suggests the player would have an interest in pursuing that option but it’s not clear if the Blues want to go down that path. They may choose instead to take a step toward the future with young players, such as Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou.
Four Teams Linked to James van Riemsdyk
Sam Carchidi cites Elliotte Friedman’s report in a recent article for Philly Hockey Now, that the Flyers are getting interest from a few teams in winger James van Riemsdyk. The Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, Winnipeg Jets, and Vegas Golden Knights have reached out. The Wild have the cap space to acquire him, but after being part of the Blues and Maple Leafs trade and retaining salary, it’s not clear if they are buyers heading into the deadline.
When asked about where he might want to go and if he’d like to play for a contender, van Riemsdyk said, “Ultimately, the thing that drives me is wanting to win. So, ideally, yeah, you want to find a situation” like that.
Capitals Not Close to Re-Signing Orlov
Pierre LeBrun is reporting the Capitals have had contract extension discussions with Dmitry Orlov, but the two sides aren’t close to getting a deal done. The 31-year-old defenseman is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and because the Capitals are expected to be buyers heading into the trade deadline, Orlov could leave for nothing in the summer.
LeBrun notes:
I haven’t heard his name mentioned anywhere in trade talks because I don’t believe that’s something the Caps are trying to push out there. They’re focused on making the playoffs and want him part of it.
source – ‘LeBrun: Buyers, sellers, the Timo Meier market and more NHL trade rumblings’ – Pierre LeBrun – The Athletic – 02/17/2023
