Ryan O'Reilly comments on his future as a Maple Leaf
With the Toronto Maple Leafs season officially coming to an end on Friday after a game-five loss, the Leafs held their annual end-of-season media availability this morning. One speaker was center Ryan O'Reilly, the team's big splash that was made at the trade deadline.
As Leafs Nation can be quick to criticize their players and management, one player who deserves to be left off of this list is O'Reilly, who was exactly the player the Leafs were hoping for. Through the ups and the downs, even battling through a lingering finger injury, O'Reilly provided depth and further stability up the middle in the team's best playoff run in 19 years.
O'Reilly finished the postseason with 9 points in 11 games, a near point-per-game scorer who spent most of his time anchoring the third line. In his 13 regular season games for the Leafs, he tallied 11 points topped off with a hat-trick against the Buffalo Sabres. At the end-of-season media availability this morning, O'Reilly was asked the question everybody was thinking, would he entertain the idea of wearing the blue and white for years to come?
In his response, O'Reilly raved about the Leafs, even exclaiming how incredible the organization was throughout his short tenure with the team.
He certainly didn't commit to the idea of returning, but he also didn't shoot down the idea of it. If the price is right, and the two parties can agree on a fair settlement, this would be a phenomenal move for the Maple Leafs. O'Reilly plays with grit and a winning mentality. Simply put, he is a player you want around your hockey club come April.
| POLL | ||
Will Ryan O'Reilly be a Toronto Maple Leaf next season onward? | ||
| Yes, I think he will be | 1820 | 59.8 % |
| No, I don't think so | 1221 | 40.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
