That's no value for Buffalo. They would be better off just keeping ROR.

This deal makes the most sense for both teams, MTL gets there 1C and Buff gets their scoring winger. I think MTL would have to add because Pacioretty has one year left where O'reilly has 5

O'Reilly is a much, much rarer asset than Pacioretty. One of the best two-way centers in the league. The best faceoff man in the league. Middle men of this calibre are very hard to find.

Pacioretty is an exceptional player, shot generator, and goal scorer -- no doubt. But he's going on 30 years old (in November) and O'Reilly just turned 27. 2.5 year spread right there. O'Reilly has long-term contract certainty; Pacioretty is up for a new deal, with a very big raise, next summer (or earlier).

Habs would have to add quite a bit to get O'Reilly. Especially with many other teams interested in talking to BUF. Bergevin should've done the 3rd pick overall in this year's draft for him and this would be a done deal.

Pierre Lebrun confirmed that a three team trade with Pacioretty going to Buffalo and O'Reilly going to Montreal was cancelled because Lamoriello decided to keep his 11th selection.

The 11th Pick was to be part of a package however for ROR

Trading the 3rd overall for ROR doesnt make sense, you basically get 5 years of him, and at the end of that contract he will be on the downside of his career, keeping the 3rd overall MTL has this player for potentailly the next decade and would be in his prime when his contract is up for renewal. ROR is a good player, but trading him for 3rd overall would have been really bad asset management from MTL. They were smart and drafted the player they need

4 words:

Carey Price, Shea Weber.

MTL needs to sh1t or get off the pot while they have these two players. It's pretty clear that Bergevin is unsure of where the team is at or where it should be in terms of age and structure. He's been steadily taking the team into the land of limbo, and last year's result was a good indication of why not to do that.

Kotkaniemi is a great prospect and I think he'll be a stud for many years. But not next year. And maybe not the year after that. Probably takes him 3-4 years to find his proper legs and form in the NHL. O'Reilly is in his absolute prime right now. And with Weber and Price as the two key foundational pieces of the franchise, the window to win needs to be now.

Habs fans thought all it took for Tavares to come to town was cap space -- that's not the key ingredient! Having O'Reilly around might've changed that conversation. Too late.

Yes but adding ROR for the price of a Kotkaniemi does not make sense, trading him for pacioretty does.