The O'Reilly Factor?

1) With all due respect to the Fox News Egomaniac, our post today has to do with the utter nonsense that took place over the weekend with the previously Restricted Free Agent, Ryan O'Reilly. For those who didn't follow this story closely. The 22 year old center had just come off his 'entry level conract' with the Avalanche, and was apparently seeking more than the team deemed appropriate. Since he didn't have arbitration rights his options were limited so most assumed he'd sign a deal with the team sooner or later. 

2) Despite numerous bogus (Eklund) rumours that he was being shopped to almost every NHL team, the Avalanche never seriously were contemplating trading his rights. Knowing full well they'd never get back what the kid was worth, they simply figured they'd wait he and his agent out as they had little other options. Or did they?  Many failed to realize there are still stupid GM's out there. Step forward Calgary GM Jay Feaster.  He solved the Avalanche "problem' for them.  By making an idiotic offer sheet in an attempt to acquire the young forward, he in effect did Colorado a favour. Sure, it was more money than the 'Lanche wanted to spend on the kid.  So as a result of the offer sheet  Ryan remains an Av and under contract for the next two seasons at $10 million total. $2.5 million of that for this season and $6.5 million for 2013-14.  Featser was hoping the 6.5 would dissuade Colorado GM Greg Sherman from matching as in order to keep Ryan's rights they'd have to at least offer him that same 6.5 mil as a 'qualifying offer' once this deal is completed and he is a RFA again.

3) Surprisingly many respected hockey bloggers/writers thought that Colorado might in fact let O'Reilly go and take the 1st and 3rd round picks as compensation.  However, if one actually looks at the odds, its unlikely the player the Av's would get from that 1st round pick (3rd rounders rarely become blue chip players) would be any better than Ryan, AND they'd  possibly have to wait for his development into a usable NHL player.  To me it was a no brainer to match the offer, and Sherman did the right thing.  Feaster on the other hand did himself no favors with this move. GM's hate when these kind of deals are made. We're told that fellow GM's were displeased to hear the news of Feaster's move.  Which might explain why there have been a scant number of such offers.(6 in the past 8 seasons!)

4) A humorous note was discovered by a sharp blogger who noted that IF Colorado failed to match, O'Reilly would have been required to go through waivers since he was playing in Europe AFTER the NHL season started. Therefore he could (Definitely would have been!!) have been claimed by anyone FOR FREE! So Calgary would have been out a 1st and 3rd pick for NOTHING! (That would have been awesome!!)  If nothing else happens, Feaster should be fired immediately for such a colossal error.  Of course he weakly attempted to defend that by saying he and the Calgary organization had a different interpretation of the rule. Bullshit Jay!  You got caught with your pants around your ankles, and now you're trying to tell us we didn't see it.  LOL Too bad!  You deserved to be canned!  Few NHL execs will be sad if/when that happens!