O'Reilly, Acciari expected to make Leafs debuts vs. Canadiens
Published
Toronto's newest acquisitions Ryan O'Reilly and Noel Acciari are expected to make their Maple Leafs debuts tonight against the Montreal Canadiens.
Head coach Sheldon Keefe says both players are on their way from St. Louis and that both were adamant about playing tonight.
O'Reilly and Acciari were acquired Friday night from the Blues in a blockbuster three-team trade that sent forwards Mikhail Abramov and Adam Gaudette along with a 2023 first-round draft pick, Ottawa’s 2023 third-round selection and the Leafs' 2024 second-round choice to St. Louis as well as a 2025 fourth-round pick to the Minnesota Wild for retaining a percentage of O'Reilly's cap hit.
O'Reilly, 32, has 12 goals and 19 points in 40 games this season. He helped the Blues win the franchise's first-ever Stanley Cup championship in 2019, taking home the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. A three-time All-Star, he won the Frank J. Selke Trophy in 2019 and the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in 2014. In 978 career NHL games, the Clinton, Ont., product has 252 goals and 691 points split between the Colorado Avalanche, Buffalo Sabres and Blues.
Acciari, 31, has 10 goals and 18 points in 54 games this season. In 361 career NHL games, he has 55 goals and 95 points split between the Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers and Blues.