TSN’s Bob McKenzie claims the Avalanche aren’t shopping O’Reilly, though he believes they’re gauging his trade value with clubs who have blueline assets they need. McKenzie doubts O’Reilly is dealt by the trade deadline, but claims “everyone in hockey” assumes the center will be traded before he enters the final season of his current contract.

Interested teams will want assurances they can re-sign O’Reilly before agreeing to a trade. The last thing a GM wants is to give up assets for a star who’ll bolt for free agency in a year’s time. They must be prepared to pay big bucks for O’Reilly. As his negotiation history indicates, he’s not going to accept discounts.

Good luck...