It sounds increasingly likely that Ryan O'Reilly's days as a member of the NHL's Colorado-based franchise are numbered.
And it also sounds like the Montreal Canadiens could potentially be on the other end of a deal for the gritty, two-way forward.
GM Joe Sakic and the Colorado Avalanche have decided to "fish and cut bait," on O'Reilly, according to TSN's Elliotte Friedman, who appeared on an episode of Calgary's Sportsnet 960, as transcribed by NicholsOnHockey.com.
"I do think he's available. He's a free agent after next season and I think Colorado has kind of decided that they're going to move on, and he's going to move on, so you might as well get something for him," Friedman said.
The Avalanche have had several difficult, protracted contract negotiations with players in the past and it seems to be happening again with O'Reilly, the most likely outcome of which is that he's not long for the Colorado organization.
He's got one year left on his deal at $6.5 million and will be seeking a hefty contract extension, but he's a tough, do-all-the-little-things-it-takes-to-win-in-the-NHL kind of guy who, if paired with the right linemates, can be a lower-tier top-line center, or one of the better second-liners in the league.
There are any number of teams in the league that could make good use of his services.
Eklund of Hockeybuzz.com reports that the Canadiens and Avalanche are the furthest along in trade talks involving O'Reilly.
"A source who has always been great when it comes to both of those teams confirms that Montreal and Colorado are 'the furthest along the path towards a deal..' for O'Reilly."
The 23-year-old O'Reilly stands at 6 feet, 200 pounds, so he'd fit the bill of helping the Canadiens get bigger up front, something Marc Bergevin has been rumored to be seeking for some time. And he's a tough guy with legitimate skill - he's got eight goals and 17 assists in 46 games this season after finishing last year with 28 goals and 64 points - who would add a little oomph to the lineup for the Habs.
The tricky part, as it always is, will be determining his value and actually pulling off a deal.
The Habs are an already strong team - adding O'Reilly will make them much stronger, but what part of the franchise's future do you weaken in order to bring him onboard?
