TORONTO | John Tavares was asleep when the Maple Leafs made a big trade with the St. Louis Blues just before 11:00 p.m. Friday. Waking up, the Leafs captain found out about the arrival of Ryan O’Reilly and Noel Acciari.
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“I can tell it wakes you up when you read messages like this,” Tavares said hours before the game against the Canadian at Scotiabank Arena. Kyle (Dubas) sends a powerful message with this exchange. He believes in our team and he knows what we want to achieve. »
“We are very pleased with this transaction,” continued Tavares. We add two good players. In Ryan’s case, he’s a center in the shape of Patrice Bergeron. It might not be the perfect comparison, but it shares a similar style. He’s good in the faceoff circle and he’s an incredible competitor. He also has leadership qualities, he was captain of the Blues. »
To cast out their demons
The Maple Leafs have set themselves big goals again this year. Without having won the Stanley Cup since 1967, the Leafs have dreams of returning to the promised land. But before they can sip champagne from the big bowl, they must get through the first round of the playoffs, a feat they haven’t managed since 2004.
In Toronto there is pressure to win. And that pressure is now being felt. Dubas knows very well that he cannot wait forever. He needs to find a way to win with this core group of players. The young Leafs GM made a concrete gesture to improve his team by making compromises with the Blues.
He acquired O’Reilly, a former Frank-Selke Trophy (2019) and Stanley Cup winner with the Blues (2019). Noel Acciari, a 31-year-old forward, also packed his bags for Toronto.
The Leafs traded a 1st round pick (2023), a 3rd round pick (Ottawa’s 2023), and a 4th round pick, as well as Mikhail Abramov and Adam Gaudette to the Blues.
Dubas also paid a 2025 fourth-round pick to the Minnesota Wild in that three-team pact.
To lure O’Reilly to Toronto, Dubas needed ingenuity and his calculator. The Blues pay 50% of Ontario’s salary and the Wild pay 25% of their salary.
O’Reilly, who will become a full free agent at the end of the year, will be on a 7-year contract that will average him $7.5 million. After the salary gymnastics in the profession, the Veterans Center salary effect will be just $1.875 million on the Leafs’ salary cap.
O’Reilly, 32, has hit a stat wall this season. In 40 games with the Blues, he has just 19 points (12 goals, 7 assists) and is -24.
Best in the playoffs
Sheldon Keefe also had a smile on his face as he stepped off the ice for an optional workout.
“I had trouble sleeping last night, I was really excited and happy,” said the head coach. I now have several options in the middle with Ryan’s and Noel’s additions. »
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Sheldon Keefe
“In Ryan, we’re getting a rare player who has a better points average per game in the playoffs than he did this season,” he continued. And in Noel’s case, he’s another good competitor. The guys on the team were very excited about this further commercial acquisition. »
Since his 2009-10 NHL debut, O’Reilly has accumulated 56 points in 64 playoff games (0.9 ppg) and 691 points in 978 season games (0.71 ppg).
Many Ontarians
O’Reilly, originally from Clinton, Ontario, now has the chance to wear the jersey of his childhood team.
The Maple Leafs also have a large contingent of nine players from Southern Ontario, including Jake Muzzin, who is on the injured list. And with goalie Matt Murray coming from Thunder Bay, we have ten players from Ontario.
“We grew up around the Leafs, so it gives you a glimpse of the importance of this team,” Tavares said.
Therefore, the origin of the players has a symbolism not only in Montreal with the Quebecers. In Toronto we see the same phenomenon among Ontario residents.