The Toronto Maple Leafs have a lot of offseason question marks. Outside of the obvious of re-signing Auston Matthews, the Maple Leafs still have to figure out the rest of the roster. One player who made an impact for them was Ryan O’Reilly.
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However, with the Maple Leafs needing to clear cap space and other pressing needs is there a way the Maple Leafs and the O’Reilly camp can work something out?
Could Toronto and Ryan O’Reilly Make A Deal Work?
TSN: Mike Johnson joined First Up on TSN Radio and was asked if there was a fair deal that could work to keep Ryan O’Reilly with the Toronto Maple Leafs:
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Aaron Korolnek: What you do think a fair number would be team and player and therm as well Mike (Johnson) for (Ryan) O’Reilly to stay in Toronto? Do you think there is there a way that it could work?
Mike Johnson: “Well Toronto has a lot of money available to them so what would be fair to both parties? I would imagine Ryan O’Reilly, who is 32 years of age, turning 33, he had a good year with 30 points in 53 games with 16 goals. Basically a point per game.
In Toronto for all the intangibles, three years would be fair for O’Reilly, and probably $15 million, $5 million a season. Something like that. If you can get him under five, that would be good, he can push five if you wanted to. He is coming off $7.5 million, I think 15 for three would be reasonable for Ryan O’Reilly.
You love him and everything he does, but Toronto has so many needs. It is tough to load up on $5-6 million players. The Leafs have five to six forwards signed for next year plus you have to sign seven forwards and we like to change our defence back there that means spending a little money on it.
As great as he has been you wonder if he is secondary on the priority list behind revamping the defence and then get to O’Reilly and then you get to your depth forwards. So it is tricky, but somewhere in that range would make sense.”
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Ryan O’Reilly is an unrestricted free agent this offseason and it really comes down to if he wants to return.
** NHLRumors.com transcription