Buffalo Sabres Sign Colaiacovo, Cal O’Reilly
The Buffalo Sabres have signed an additional two players through free agency, adding defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo and forward Cal O’Reilly.
The team announced the signings on July 3. Colaiacovo’s contract is a one-year deal, while O’Reilly’s is two years.
O’Reilly is, of course, the older brother of Ryan O’Reilly, who was traded to the Sabres on June 26 along with Jamie McGinn, and who just signed a seven-year contract extension last week.
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Colaiacovo, 32, was originally drafted by his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs 17th overall in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, coming from none other than the Erie Otters organization, where he played between 1999 and 2003.
Colaiacovo played for the Leafs, as well as the St. John’s Maple Leafs (and then the Toronto Marlies) between 2003 and 2009.
He then joined the St. Louis Blues organization for four seasons, before playing for the Detroit Red Wings organization briefly in the 2012-13 season.
Colaiacovo returned to St. Louis for the 2013-14 season and spent this past year with the Philadelphia Flyers. He registered eight points and 10 penalty minutes in 33 games.
Overall, Colaiacovo has 454 games of NHL experience, with 156 points in that time, including 123 assists. He also has 225 penalty minutes in that time.
@BuffaloSabres I'm extremely excited to join the Sabres organization and looking forward to playing in front of the great fans of Buffalo
— Carlo Colaiacovo (@CarloColaiacovo) July 3, 2015
Colaiacovo is a left-shooting defenseman, a piece that Sabres general manager Tim Murray had previously spoken about needing to acquire.
Meanwhile, Cal O’Reilly is expected to be a depth signing, likely headed for the Rochester Americans.
The 28-year-old joins his brother in the Sabres organization after spending last season as captain of the Utica Comets, who went all the way to the AHL’s Western Conference championship. O’Reilly, like his younger brother, doesn’t miss many games, appearing all 76 regular season games and 23 playoff games this past season.
He was second in the AHL in the regular season with 51 assists, and overall had 61 points. He then added 19 points in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
O’Reilly has 113 games of NHL experience and was originally drafted by the Nashville Predators 150th overall in 2005.
Like Colaiacovo, O’Reilly is a Toronto native. The centerman was a product of the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires before making his pro debut with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals in 2005.
He’ll be a good addition to the Rochester Americans, having put up 414 points in 482 American Hockey League games between Milwaukee, Portland, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Utica. His NHL experience has come with Nashville, Phoenix and Pittsburgh.
O’Reilly also played for Magnitogorsk Metallurg in the KHL between 2012 and 2014, notching 24 points in 53 games overseas.
Next: Sabres Sign Ryan O'Reilly To Extension
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