The St. Louis Blues may have finally buried their playoff chances for this season.
Because after Vladimir Tarasenko, the next superstar is leaving the 2019 Stanley Cup winner: Ryan O’Reilly.
The Canadian center is sent to the Toronto Maple Leafs in a blockbuster trade alongside Noel Acciari. The Minnesota Wild are also involved in the deal, bringing O’Reilly (officially) in exchange for forward talent Josh Pillar from the Blues. St. Louis pays 50 percent of the salary.
However, O’Reilly is immediately sent on to the Maple Leafs, in exchange for the Wild Toronto’s fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL draft and 25 percent of the remaining salary.
According to The Athletic, Minnesota will effectively pay $74,000 in cash and $557,000 in salary cap (the prorated value of $1.875 million AAV).
O’Reilly was a key figure in the Stanley Cup triumph
The Blues have Toronto’s first-round pick and Ottawa’s third-round pick in the 2023 NHL draft, as well as Toronto’s second-round pick in the 2024 draft. The Missouri team also has future picks of Mikhail Abramov and Adam Gaudette.
O’Reilly has 19 points (12 goals, seven assists) from 40 games this year. His seven-year contract, which he signed while still in dress with the Buffalo Sabers in July 2015, expires after the season.
The attacker was instrumental in the Blues’ Stanley Cup triumph with 23 points from 26 games and was even awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the playoffs.
