After being traded by the Buffalo Sabres earlier this month, Ryan O’Reilly wrote a heartfelt message to the organization and fanbase.
The loss of Ryan O’Reilly is a tough pill to swallow for any fan of the Buffalo Sabres, but the team received a massive haul for him by adding two veterans, a rising star and two future draft picks.
The worst thing you want to see as a fan is a fan-favorite leaving on bad terms, but that was in no way the case with the Sabres’ trade with the St. Louis Blues. O’Reilly gave the team a solid three years and the best three-year stint of his career. I am confident I can speak for the rest of the fanbase when I thank him for his time and wish him the best of luck moving forward.
The Buffalo Sabres received O’Reilly in a trade with the Colorado Avalanche back in 2015. In a trade that also brought Jamie McGinn to Buffalo, the team sent away Nikita Zadorov, Mikhail Grigorenko, J. T. Compher and the 31st pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. They gave away a lot for the likes of O’Reilly, and it was worth it.
Ryan O’Reilly would end up playing a total of 224 games in his three-year stint, recording 65 goals (20+ in each season), 111 assists and 173 points. Of his 65 goals, 31 came on the power play, two were short-handed and eight were game-winners. He also added 38 power play assists and five short-handed assists.
He was the epitome of a clutch player, at his best when it mattered most, and will be missed by the Buffalo Sabres.
In return, the Sabres will be adding two veterans, Patrik Berglund and Vladimir Sobotka, that will help develop the rest of the Sabres’ young offense. Tage Thompson is a young forward with a high ceiling, who will fit right in with the development of Casey Mittelstadt, Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart.
The Sabres also received a conditional first round draft pick next season, as well as a second round draft pick in 2021 from the St. Louis Blues.
Not long after being traded, Ryan O’Reilly sent a heartfelt message to the Buffalo Sabres’ organization and fanbase. The message went as follows:
"“I formally want to thank the Buffalo Sabres and the city of Buffalo for the past three years. When I was traded here I had no idea what to expect. I was blown away by how much this city has to offer and all of the amazing people I met. I feel very privileged that I was able to call Buffalo my home.To Mr. and Mrs. Pegula, I want to thank you for your support of the Sabres and what you did for me and my family during my time in Buffalo. Your treatment of the players is second to none; and your contributions to the city of Buffalo and the sporting world is so impressive.To the people of Buffalo, your unwavering support for your teams is inspirational; you even made me a Bills fan! I also want to thank you for being so good to me and my family. I know we didn’t get the result you wanted but you are in great hands and have a bright future. Thank you for your initial welcoming and your endless support throughout.To the entire Sabres organization (management, coaches, trainers, doctors and support staff), many thanks to the great people who excel at their jobs. The charity work that you do is outstanding and it was a pleasure to get to work with you.To my teammates, I wish you guys the best. I have made some lifelong friendships and I am grateful to have played with each and every one of you.Finally, again many thanks to everyone. I will never forget my time in Buffalo and how great the city of Buffalo truly is.I am excited for the next chapter of my life and wish all of you the best.”"
Good luck in St. Louis, Ryan O’Reilly. We will be rooting for you — except when you play against us, of course.
What was your favorite memory of Ryan O’Reilly in a Buffalo Sabres’ uniform? Leave your thoughts below!