Revisiting the Blues' Trade for Ryan O'Reilly

The St. Louis Blues acquired Ryan O'Reilly from the Buffalo Sabres in a significant NHL trade that played a key role in their Stanley Cup victory. The trade sent shockwaves through the league when the Blues and Sabres agreed to exchange O'Reilly for Patrik Berglund, Vladimir Sobotka, Tage Thompson, a first-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, and a second-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft.

Initial Perception of the Trade

At first glance, the deal appeared heavily in favor of St. Louis. However, more than six years later, the trade's complexity reveals benefits for both sides with various factors influencing perspectives on who gained more.

Ryan O'Reilly's Background

Selected 33rd overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by the Colorado Avalanche, O'Reilly quickly became a fan favorite. Concerned about long-term costs, Colorado traded him to Buffalo in exchange for defenseman Nikita Zadorov, forwards Mikhail Grigorenko and J.T. 31, a 2015 draft pick.

O'Reilly's Tenure with Buffalo

O'Reilly played three seasons with the Sabres, appearing in 224 games and scoring 65 goals and 176 points. He consistently produced over 60 points each season, but the Sabres finished with a combined record of 93-118-35 during that time.

“Though he never produced less than 60 points in a single season, a collective record of 93-118-35 over his three seasons in Buffalo left the 27-year-old O’Reilly with a loss of love for the game.”

This challenging environment contributed to O'Reilly seeking a fresh start, which ultimately led to the trade that benefited the Blues.

Trade Impact Overview

The Blues gained a key player who helped secure their Stanley Cup championship.
The Sabres received multiple assets with potential future value.
The trade remains debated as each fan base sees aspects favoring their team.

Understanding the backgrounds and expectations on both sides provides essential context for this landmark NHL trade.

Author’s summary: Ryan O'Reilly's trade to the Blues was initially seen as one-sided but proved to have significant, lasting impacts benefiting both St. Louis and Buffalo hockey organizations.

Would you like the summary to be more detailed or shorter?

The Hockey Writers — 2025-11-02