Ryan O’Reilly and the Colorado Avalanche both came to their senses, and one of the game’s best young players is staying in Denver for a couple of years.
O’Reilly and the Avs came to terms on a two-year deal worth $12 million, according to multiple reports. The new contract means the two sides will avoid arbitration and puts to end a drawn-out contract dispute.
TSN’s Darren Dreger reports the two-year deal will pay the center $5.8 million in the first year and $6.2 million in the second.
O’Reilly is considered one of the best young two-way forwards in the game. The 23-year-old is coming off a 2013-14 season where he scored 28 goals and added 36 assists in 80 games with the Avs. O’Reilly also won the Lady Byng Trophy and finished sixth in Selke Trophy voting.
O’Reilly and the Avalanche are no strangers to contentious contract negotiations.He signed an offer sheet with the Calgary Flames in 2013 after holding out, and the Avalanche ultimately decided to match the offer. O’Reilly will become an unrestricted free agent after this current two-year deal ends.
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