O’Reilly’s journey to becoming an NHL player began with his career in the Ontario Hockey League. O’Reilly began playing for the Erie Otters in the 2007-2008 season. Despite his young age, he quickly established himself as a standout player, tallying 52 points in his rookie season, including 19 goals. His well-rounded game, maturity, and leadership were exceptional for a player his age, and he showed a defensive prowess rare among young forwards.
His second season and ultimately his last season in the OHL was in 2008-2009, O’Reilly continued to impress, recording 66 points, including 50 assists, in 68 games. His high end hockey sense and playmaking skills were fully on display, as was his ability to excel in key situations. That season firmly established O’Reilly as legit NHL prospect. His ability to read the play, combined with his hardworking nature and excellent hand-eye coordination, made him a player we loved for the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.
In that 2009 NHL Entry Draft, O’Reilly was selected in the 2nd round, 33rd overall by the Colorado Avalanche, a testament to his skill, potential, and the impression he had made during his time in the OHL. His skating was his weakness and it was the biggest reason he slipped into the 2nd round. His transition to the NHL was immediate though. He skipped the long route of returning to the OHL and playing in the AHL, and he jumped straight into the NHL after his draft season.
During his first season with the Avalanche, he quickly made a name for himself as a defensively responsible forward, a role that’s often hard for young players to fill. This immediate responsibility showcased his mature approach to the game that we loved watching in the OHL, a trait that set him apart from many other prospects.
After successful seasons with the Avalanche, O’Reilly was traded to the Buffalo Sabres in 2015. There, he continued to demonstrate his all-around game and further polished his offensive skills. He became an integral part of the Sabres’ core group, playing a key role in all situations.
However, some would say his true breakout came after he joined the St. Louis Blues in 2018. In his first season with the Blues, he not only led the team in points during the regular season but also played a pivotal role in their historic Stanley Cup run in 2019. His ability to perform under high-stakes playoff pressure was impressive, earning him the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoffs’ most valuable player.
Throughout his career, O’Reilly’s impressive skill set has been complemented by a commendable display of sportsmanship. He won the Lady Byng Trophy, an award given to the player who best exemplifies sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability.
In addition to his NHL success, O’Reilly has made significant contributions to the Canadian National Team. He has represented Canada in the World Championships and was a big contributor to their success.
From his early days in the OHL to his successes in the NHL, Ryan O’Reilly has proven himself to be one of the most consistent, smartest and reliable centers in the game. His work ethic, combined with his unique blend of offensive and defensive skills, has made him a respected player among his peers and a favorite amongst hockey fans.
Our HockeyProspect.com 2009 NHL Draft Ranking for Ryan O’Reilly: 21st Overall
2009 NHL Draft Full Results
Pick | NHL Team | Player | Pos | Team | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | NY Islanders | John Tavares | C | London Knights [OHL] | |
2 | Tampa Bay | Victor Hedman | D | MODO Hockey Ornskoldsvik [SEL] | |
3 | Colorado | Matt Duchene | C | Brampton Battalion [OHL] | |
4 | Atlanta | Evander Kane | L | Vancouver Giants [WHL] | |
5 | Los Angeles | Brayden Schenn | C | Brandon Wheat Kings [WHL] | |
6 | Phoenix | Oliver Ekman-Larsson | D | Leksands IF [Swe-1] | |
7 | Toronto | Nazem Kadri | C | London Knights [OHL] | |
8 | Dallas | Scott Glennie | C | Brandon Wheat Kings [WHL] | |
9 | Ottawa | Jared Cowen | D | Spokane Chiefs [WHL] | |
10 | Edmonton | Magnus Paajarvi | L | Timra IK [SEL] | |
11 | Nashville | Ryan Ellis | D | Windsor Spitfires [OHL] | |
12 | NY Islanders | Calvin de Haan | D | Oshawa Generals [OHL] | |
13 | Buffalo | Zack Kassian | R | Peterborough Petes [OHL] | |
14 | Florida | Dmitri Kulikov | D | Drummondville Voltigeurs [QMJHL] | |
15 | Anaheim | Peter Holland | C | Guelph Storm [OHL] | |
16 | Minnesota | Nick Leddy | D | Eden Prairie H.S. (Minn.) | |
17 | St. Louis | David Rundblad | D | Skelleftea AIK [SEL] | |
18 | Montreal | Louis Leblanc | R | Omaha Lancers [USHL] | |
19 | NY Rangers | Chris Kreider | L | Andover H.S. (Mass.) | |
20 | New Jersey | Jacob Josefson | C | Djurgardens IF Stockholm [SEL] | |
21 | Columbus | John Moore | D | Chicago Steel [USHL] | |
22 | Vancouver | Jordan Schroeder | L | U. of Minnesota [WCHA] | |
23 | Calgary | Tim Erixon | D | Skelleftea AIK [SEL] | |
24 | Washington | Marcus Johansson | L | Farjestads BK Karlstad [SEL] | |
25 | Boston | Jordan Caron | R | Rimouski Oceanic [QMJHL] | |
26 | Anaheim | Kyle Palmieri | C | U.S. National Under-18 Team [Ind] | |
27 | Carolina | Philippe Paradis | L | Shawinigan Cataractes [QMJHL] | |
28 | Chicago | Dylan Olsen | D | Camrose Kodiaks [AJHL] | |
29 | Tampa Bay | Carter Ashton | R | Lethbridge Hurricanes [WHL] | |
30 | Pittsburgh | Simon Despres | D | Saint John Sea Dogs [QMJHL] | |
31 | NY Islanders | Mikko Koskinen | G | Blues [SM-liiga] | |
32 | Detroit | Landon Ferraro | C | Red Deer Rebels [WHL] | |
33 | Colorado | Ryan O'Reilly | C | Erie Otters [OHL] | |
34 | Atlanta | Carl Klingberg | L | Vastra Frolunda Jr. [Swe-Jr] | |
35 | Los Angeles | Kyle Clifford | L | Barrie Colts [OHL] | |
36 | Phoenix | Chris Brown | C | U.S. National Under-18 Team [Ind] | |
37 | Anaheim | Mat Clark | D | Brampton Battalion [OHL] | |
38 | Dallas | Alex Chiasson | R | Des Moines Buccaneers [USHL] | |
39 | Ottawa | Jakob Silfverberg | R | Brynas Jr. [Swe-Jr] | |
40 | Edmonton | Anton Lander | C | Timra IK [SEL] | |
41 | Nashville | Zach Budish | R | Edina H.S. (Minn.) | |
42 | Nashville | Charles-Olivier Roussel | D | Shawinigan Cataractes [QMJHL] | |
43 | San Jose | William Wrenn | D | U.S. National Under-18 Team [Ind] | |
44 | Florida | Drew Shore | C | U.S. National Under-18 Team [Ind] | |
45 | Atlanta | Jeremy Morin | L | U.S. National Under-18 Team [Ind] | |
46 | Ottawa | Robin Lehner | G | Vastra Frolunda Jr. [Swe-Jr] | |
47 | NY Rangers | Ethan Werek | C | Kingston Frontenacs [OHL] | |
48 | St. Louis | Brett Ponich | D | Portland Winter Hawks [WHL] | |
49 | Colorado | Stefan Elliott | D | Saskatoon Blades [WHL] | |
50 | Toronto | Kenny Ryan | R | U.S. National Under-18 Team [Ind] | |
51 | Carolina | Brian Dumoulin | D | New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs | |
52 | Tampa Bay | Richard Panik | R | Trinec Ocelari HC [Czech] | |
53 | Vancouver | Anton Rodin | R | Brynas Jr. [Swe-Jr] | |
54 | New Jersey | Eric Gelinas | D | Lewiston MAINEiacs [QMJHL] | |
55 | Washington | Dmitri Orlov | D | Novokuznetsk Metallurg [KHL] | |
56 | Columbus | Kevin Lynch | C | U.S. National Under-18 Team [Ind] | |
57 | San Jose | Taylor Doherty | D | Kingston Frontenacs [OHL] | |
58 | Toronto | Jesse Blacker | D | Windsor Spitfires [OHL] | |
59 | Chicago | Brandon Pirri | C | Georgetown Raiders [OJHL] | |
60 | Detroit | Tomas Tatar | L | Zvolen HKm [Slovak] | |
61 | Pittsburgh | Philip Samuelsson | D | Chicago Steel [USHL] | |
62 | NY Islanders | Anders Nilsson | G | Lulea HF Jr. [Swe-Jr] | |
63 | Pittsburgh | Ben Hanowski | R | Little Falls H.S. (Minn.) | |
64 | Colorado | Tyson Barrie | D | Kelowna Rockets [WHL] | |
65 | Montreal | Joonas Nattinen | C | Blues Jrs. (Finland) | |
66 | Buffalo | Brayden McNabb | D | Kootenay Ice [WHL] | |
67 | Florida | Josh Birkholz | R | Fargo Force [USHL] | |
68 | Toronto | Jamie Devane | L | Plymouth Whalers [OHL] | |
69 | Dallas | Reilly Smith | R | St. Michael's Buzzers [OJHL] | |
70 | Nashville | Taylor Beck | R | Guelph Storm [OHL] | |
71 | Edmonton | Troy Hesketh | D | Minnetonka H.S. (Minn.) | |
72 | Nashville | Michael Latta | C | Guelph Storm [OHL] | |
73 | New Jersey | Alexander Urbom | D | Djurgardens IF Stockholm [SEL] | |
74 | Calgary | Ryan Howse | L | Chilliwack Bruins [WHL] | |
75 | Detroit | Andrej Nestrasil | R | Victoriaville Tigres [QMJHL] | |
76 | Anaheim | Igor Bobkov | G | Magnitogorsk Jr. (Russia) | |
77 | Minnesota | Matt Hackett | G | Plymouth Whalers [OHL] | |
78 | St. Louis | Sergei Andronov | L | Tolyatti Lada [KHL] | |
79 | Montreal | Mac Bennett | D | Hotchkiss School (Conn.) | |
80 | NY Rangers | Ryan Bourque | L | U.S. National Under-18 Team [Ind] | |
81 | Philadelphia | Adam Morrison | G | Saskatoon Blades [WHL] | |
82 | Edmonton | Cameron Abney | R | Everett Silvertips [WHL] | |
83 | Vancouver | Kevin Connauton | D | Western Michigan University [CCHA] | |
84 | Los Angeles | Nicolas Deslauriers | L | Rouyn-Noranda Huskies [QMJHL] | |
85 | Washington | Cody Eakin | C | Swift Current Broncos [WHL] | |
86 | Boston | Ryan Button | D | Prince Albert Raiders [WHL] | |
87 | Philadelphia | Simon Bertilsson | D | Brynas IF Gavle [SEL] | |
88 | Carolina | Mattias Lindstrom | L | Skelleftea AIK Jr. [Swe-Jr] | |
89 | Chicago | Daniel Delisle | L | Totino Grace H.S. (Minn.) | |
90 | Detroit | Gleason Fournier | D | Rimouski Oceanic [QMJHL] | |
91 | Phoenix | Mike Lee | G | Fargo Force [USHL] | |
92 | NY Islanders | Casey Cizikas | C | Mississauga St. Michael's Majors [OHL] | |
93 | Tampa Bay | Alex Hutchings | L | Barrie Colts [OHL] | |
94 | Columbus | David Savard | D | Moncton Wildcats [QMJHL] | |
95 | Los Angeles | J.F. Berube | G | Montreal Juniors [QMJHL] | |
96 | Los Angeles | Linden Vey | R | Medicine Hat Tigers [WHL] | |
97 | Phoenix | Jordan Szwarz | C | Saginaw Spirit [OHL] | |
98 | Nashville | Craig Smith | C | Waterloo Black Hawks [USHL] | |
99 | Edmonton | Kyle Bigos | D | Vernon Vipers [BCHL] | |
100 | Ottawa | Chris Wideman | D | Miami University (Ohio) [CCHA] | |
101 | Edmonton | Toni Rajala | L | Ilves Jrs. (Finland) | |
102 | Nashville | Mattias Ekholm | D | Mora IK [Swe-1] | |
103 | Minnesota | Kris Foucault | L | Calgary Hitmen [WHL] | |
104 | Buffalo | Marcus Foligno | L | Sudbury Wolves [OHL] | |
105 | Phoenix | Justin Weller | D | Red Deer Rebels [WHL] | |
106 | Anaheim | Sami Vatanen | D | Jyp Jr. (Finland) | |
107 | Florida | Garrett Wilson | L | Owen Sound Attack [OHL] | |
108 | St. Louis | Tyler Shattock | R | Kamloops Blazers [WHL] | |
109 | Montreal | Alexander Avtsin | R | Dynamo Moscow-2 (Russia) | |
110 | Nashville | Nick Oliver | C | Roseau High (Minn.) | |
111 | Calgary | Henrik Bjorklund | L | Farjestads BK Karlstad [SEL] | |
112 | Boston | Lane MacDermid | L | Windsor Spitfires [OHL] | |
113 | Vancouver | Jeremy Price | D | Nepean Raiders [CJHL] | |
114 | New Jersey | Seth Helgeson | D | Sioux City Musketeers [USHL] | |
115 | Washington | Patrick Wey | D | Waterloo Black Hawks [USHL] | |
116 | Minnesota | Alexander Fallstrom | R | Shattuck St. Mary's (Minn) | |
117 | Atlanta | Edward Pasquale | G | Saginaw Spirit [OHL] | |
119 | Chicago | Byron Froese | C | Everett Silvertips [WHL] | |
120 | Atlanta | Ben Chiarot | D | Guelph Storm [OHL] | |
121 | Pittsburgh | Nick Petersen | R | Shawinigan Cataractes [QMJHL] | |
122 | NY Islanders | Anton Klementyev | D | Yaroslavl-2 (Russia) | |
123 | Pittsburgh | Alex Velischek | D | Delbarton H.S. (N.J.) | |
124 | Colorado | Kieran Millan | G | Boston University [H-East] | |
125 | Atlanta | Cody Sol | D | Saginaw Spirit [OHL] | |
126 | Los Angeles | David Kolomatis | D | Owen Sound Attack [OHL] | |
127 | NY Rangers | Roman Horak | C | Ceske Budejovice Jrs. [Czech.] | |
128 | Toronto | Eric Knodel | D | Philadelphia Jr. Flyers | |
129 | Dallas | Tomas Vincour | R | Edmonton Oil Kings [WHL] | |
130 | Ottawa | Mike Hoffman | L | Drummondville Voltigeurs [QMJHL] | |
131 | Carolina | Matt Kennedy | R | Guelph Storm [OHL] | |
132 | Nashville | Gabriel Bourque | L | Baie-Comeau Drakkar [QMJHL] | |
133 | Edmonton | Olivier Roy | G | Cape Breton Screaming Eagles [QMJHL] | |
134 | Buffalo | Mark Adams | D | Malden Catholic H.S. (Mass.) | |
135 | Florida | Corban Knight | C | Okotoks Oilers [AJHL] | |
136 | Anaheim | Radoslav Illo | C | Tri-City Storm [USHL] | |
137 | Columbus | Thomas Larkin | D | Exeter H.S. (N.H.) | |
138 | Florida | Wade Megan | C | South Kent School (Conn,) | |
139 | Montreal | Gabriel Dumont | C | Drummondville Voltigeurs [QMJHL] | |
140 | NY Rangers | Scott Stajcer | G | Owen Sound Attack [OHL] | |
141 | Calgary | Spencer Bennett | L | Surrey Eagles [BCHL] | |
142 | Philadelphia | Nicola Riopel | G | Moncton Wildcats [QMJHL] | |
143 | Vancouver | Peter Andersson | D | Vastra Frolunda Jr. [Swe-Jr] | |
144 | New Jersey | Derek Rodwell | L | Okotoks Oilers [AJHL] | |
145 | Washington | Brett Flemming | D | Mississauga St. Michael's Majors [OHL] | |
146 | Ottawa | Jeff Costello | L | Cedar Rapids RoughRiders [USHL] | |
147 | San Jose | Philip Varone | C | London Knights [OHL] | |
148 | Tampa Bay | Michael Zador | G | Oshawa Generals [OHL] | |
149 | Chicago | Marcus Kruger | C | Djurgardens Jr. [Swe-Jr] | |
150 | Detroit | Nick Jensen | D | Green Bay Gamblers [USHL] | |
151 | Pittsburgh | Andy Bathgate | C | Belleville Bulls [OHL] | |
152 | NY Islanders | Anders Lee | L | Edina H.S. (Minn.) | |
153 | Philadelphia | Dave Labrecque | C | Shawinigan Cataractes [QMJHL] | |
154 | Colorado | Brandon Maxwell | G | U.S. National Under-18 Team [Ind] | |
155 | Atlanta | Jimmy Bubnick | C | Kamloops Blazers [WHL] | |
156 | Los Angeles | Michael Pelech | F | Mississauga St. Michael's Majors [OHL] | |
157 | Phoenix | Evan Bloodoff | L | Kelowna Rockets [WHL] | |
158 | Toronto | Jerry D'Amigo | L | U.S. National Under-18 Team [Ind] | |
159 | Dallas | Curtis McKenzie | L | Penticton Vees [BCHL] | |
160 | Ottawa | Corey Cowick | L | Ottawa 67's [OHL] | |
161 | Minnesota | Darcy Kuemper | G | Red Deer Rebels [WHL] | |
162 | Tampa Bay | Jaroslav Janus | G | Erie Otters [OHL] | |
163 | Minnesota | Jere Sallinen | L | Blues Jrs. (Finland) | |
164 | Buffalo | Connor Knapp | G | Miami University (Ohio) [CCHA] | |
165 | Florida | Scott Timmins | C | Windsor Spitfires [OHL] | |
166 | Anaheim | Scott Valentine | D | Oshawa Generals [OHL] | |
167 | Columbus | Anton Blomqvist | D | Malmo Jr. [Swe-Jr] | |
168 | St. Louis | David Shields | D | Erie Otters [OHL] | |
169 | Montreal | Dustin Walsh | C | Kingston Voyageurs [OJHL] | |
170 | NY Rangers | Daniel Maggio | D | Sudbury Wolves [OHL] | |
171 | Calgary | Joni Ortio | G | TPS Jrs. (Finland) | |
172 | Philadelphia | Eric Wellwood | L | Windsor Spitfires [OHL] | |
173 | Vancouver | Joe Cannata | G | Merrimack College [H-East] | |
174 | New Jersey | Ashton Bernard | L | Shawinigan Cataractes [QMJHL] | |
175 | Washington | Garrett Mitchell | R | Regina Pats [WHL] | |
176 | Boston | Tyler Randell | R | Kitchener Rangers [OHL] | |
177 | Chicago | David Pacan | R | Cumberland Grads [CJHL] | |
178 | Carolina | Rasmus Rissanen | D | Kalpa Jr. (Finland) | |
179 | Los Angeles | Brandon Kozun | R | Calgary Hitmen [WHL] | |
180 | Detroit | Mitch Callahan | R | Kelowna Rockets [WHL] | |
181 | Pittsburgh | Viktor Ekbom | D | Oskarshamn IK [Swe-1] | |
182 | Minnesota | Erik Haula | L | Shattuck St. Mary's (Minn) | |
183 | Tampa Bay | Kirill Gotovets | D | Shattuck St. Mary's (Minn) | |
184 | Colorado | Gus Young | D | Nobles [Mass. H.S.] | |
185 | Atlanta | Levko Koper | L | Spokane Chiefs [WHL] | |
186 | Los Angeles | Jordan Nolan | C | Soo Greyhounds [OHL] | |
187 | Vancouver | Steven Anthony | L | Saint John Sea Dogs [QMJHL] | |
188 | Toronto | Barron Smith | D | Peterborough Petes [OHL] | |
189 | San Jose | Marek Viedensky | C | Prince George Cougars [WHL] | |
190 | Ottawa | Brad Peltz | L | Avon Old Farms H.S. (Conn.) | |
191 | Ottawa | Michael Sdao | D | Lincoln Stars [USHL] | |
192 | Nashville | Cam Reid | F | Westside Warriors [BCHL] | |
193 | Minnesota | Anthony Hamburg | C | Dallas Stars AAA (Midget) | |
194 | Buffalo | Maxime Legault | R | Shawinigan Cataractes [QMJHL] | |
195 | Chicago | Paul Phillips | D | Cedar Rapids RoughRiders [USHL] | |
196 | Philadelphia | Oliver Lauridsen | D | St. Cloud State [WCHA] | |
197 | Columbus | Kyle Neuber | R | Mississauga St. Michael's Majors [OHL] | |
198 | Los Angeles | Nic Dowd | C | Wenatchee Wild [NAHL] | |
199 | Montreal | Mike Cichy | C | Indiana Ice [USHL] | |
200 | NY Rangers | Mikhail Pashnin | D | Mechel [Russia] | |
201 | Calgary | Gaelan Patterson | D | Saskatoon Blades [WHL] | |
202 | St. Louis | Maxwell Tardy | C | Duluth East H.S. (Minn.) | |
203 | Atlanta | Jordan Samuels-Thomas | L | Waterloo Black Hawks [USHL] | |
204 | New Jersey | Curtis Gedig | D | Cowichan Valley Capitals [BCHL] | |
205 | Washington | Benjamin Casavant | L | Prince Edward Island Rocket [QMJHL] | |
206 | Boston | Ben Sexton | C | Nepean Raiders [CJHL] | |
207 | San Jose | Dominik Bielke | D | Berlin Polar Bears [DEL] | |
208 | Carolina | Tommi Kivisto | D | Red Deer Rebels [WHL] | |
209 | Chicago | David Gilbert | C | Quebec Remparts [QMJHL] | |
210 | Detroit | Adam Almquist | D | HV71 Jr. [Swe-Jr] | |
211 | Montreal | Petteri Simila | G | Karpat Jrs. (Finland) |