On the Buffalo Sabres and Ryan O’Reilly …
Chris Nichols of FRS Hockey: Elliotte Friedman was on the NHL Network talking about Buffalo Sabres center Ryan O’Reilly, wondering if he’ll be dealt at the draft or after.
Friedman notes they could move him draft and likely get a first-round pick, but if they didn’t move him, and if John Tavares re-signs with the Islanders, the trade market for O’Reilly could be even hotter. Even if Tavares signs elsewhere, there are still plenty of teams that will be looking for a center.
“The other thing I hear about Buffalo is I think they’re looking for a winger, whether it’s a Rick Nash or a Max Pacioretty or a Jeff Skinner, who can play wing in addition to center. I think they’re in the market on a lot of guys like that. And I think they look at the wings and they say, ‘We’ve got Eichel at center. We’ve got Mittelstadt at center. If O’Reilly is back we’ve got him at center. We’re okay there.’”
On the NHL Draft – Canucks, Canadiens and Senators …
Chris Nichols of FRS Hockey: Elliotte Friedman was on 630 CHED and was noting how it’s easier to make moves in the offseason and he believes could be chaotic week/draft.
The Vancouver Canucks at No. 7 are willing to move it according to Friedman.
“And then it really starts with Montreal, and what does Marc Bergevin want to do. I think most people think he wants to take the Finnish center, but there’s a couple that have thought he might be interested in one of the D, like Dobson for example. He’s got a couple of new coaches in his organization, Ducharme and Bouchard, who would have seen quite a bit of Dobson this year in the Quebec League. I think also there’s at least one GM out there, I said on our podcast today, thinks he likes Brady Tkachuk, so Bergevin has got kind of everybody guessing.”
The Ottawa Senators have right up until they are on the clock to decide if they want to keep the No. 4 pick or send it to the Colorado Avalanche.