O’Reilly Walking Would Be Worst Decision in Toronto Maple Leafs History

The Toronto Maple Leafs are making a terrible decision if they let Ryan O’Reilly walk into free agency.

At the NHL Trade Deadline last February, the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Ryan O’Reilly and Noel Acciari in exchange for Adam Gaudette, Mikhail Abramov and four draft picks, including their 2023 first rounder.

It was a great trade at the time and continued to be a great trade after the season was finished.

Even if those draft picks become everyday NHLers, you’re making that move 100 times out of a 100 because the Leafs received the better players and are in a win-now window. They acquired two players who were impactful in the playoffs and whenever you have a chance to trade for a former Conn Smythe winner, you do it.

There are lots of people who would be ecstatic if O’Reilly didn’t re-sign in Toronto, but those people look way too much into the numbers instead of looking at the type of person O’Reilly is and what he brings to a dressing room.

Sure, there are players who can score 40 goals or 100 points who win, but the reason why they’re so successful in the playoffs is because of that work ethic I talked about. They will do whatever it takes to win, which doesn’t show up on the scoresheet, which is why someone like Sidney Crosby has been so successful over his career.

Toronto Maple Leafs Must Re-Sign O’Reilly

He’s always been the best player on his team, but he’s also been someone who’s impossible to play against in the playoffs and heightens his enthusiasm in the big moments.

You can’t say that about Mitch Marner or William Nylander.

Those players shrink in those moments and are afraid to be in scrums, so how in the world are they going to lead you to victory when the games mean the most? You know who doesn’t fall apart in the playoffs and is someone who helps his team win?

Ryan O’Reilly.

I don’t care that he’s 32-years-old and that his cap-hit could be around $5-7M per year. I’d take O’Reilly on my roster every single day of the week because not only does he want to play in Toronto and win here, but he’s a guy you go to war with.

Offensive skill does not win you playoff games. Every single season, we try to convince ourselves that the Leafs can win strictly with skill because we saw them win 50 regular season games, but the playoffs is a different animal.

Big defenseman, a strong goalie and forwards who play both ways are what wins you playoff games and having O’Reilly on the roster will help this team way more than having someone like Nylander or Marner.

I love both of those players, but it’s not working and won’t work if they keep them together.

If the Toronto Maple Leafs want to have a chance at winning next year, they need to re-sign O’Reilly immediately because he’s someone who will be fighting for every inch in the playoffs, year-after-year.