Colorado Avalanche Decade in Review: 20 Memorable Moments

DENVER, COLORADO - OCTOBER 30: Joonas Donskoi #72 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrates a goal against the Florida Panthers with his bench at the Pepsi Center on October 30, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. The Panthers defeated the Avalanche 4-3 in overtime. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) /

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BUFFALO, NY – OCTOBER 27: Ryan O’Reilly #90 of the Buffalo Sabres skates against the Minnesota Wild during an NHL game at the KeyBank Center on October 27, 2016 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images) /

13. Memorable Moment: Colorado Avalanche Trade Ryan O’Reilly

Ryan O’Reilly spent the entire 2014-15 season with his name on the trade block. Relations were so contentious on both sides. O’Reilly was set to become a UFA after one more season, and the Avs didn’t hold out a lot of hope for signing him.

So, on June 26, 2015, on the trade floor, GM Joe Sakic pulled the trigger on what was to then the biggest trade of his career. He traded Ryan O’Reilly to the Buffalo Sabres. He also sent over Jamie McGinn. In return, he got Nikita Zadorov, Mikhail Grigorenko, J.T. Compher, and a second rounder.

Zadorov and Compher are still with the team. Buffalo initially signed O’Reilly to a contract extension (after which time he crashed his truck into a Tim Horton’s). However, they eventually traded him to St. Louis.

I’d say we won the trade.

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