O’Reilly says it was “worth it to wait this long” to sign

It’s understandable why general managers Jay Feaster and Greg Sherman have taken the forefront of discussion when it comes to Ryan O’Reilly finally getting signed, but he’s excited about finally getting back to action with the team.

O’Reilly will join the team today to hit the ice for practice and as Adrian Dater of The Denver Post notes from an interview the player did with a London, Ontario radio station, the wait was worth the payoff. When it comes to the two-year, $10 million deal he knows just how big it is.

“It was a big number. I didn’t really expect that,” O’Reilly said. “But it’s great. It’s what we wanted, and was worth it to wait this long. Now it’s strictly business now, as it was then – just perform on the ice.”

O’Reilly says he’s not sure what to expect from the fans when he finally suits up, but it’s safe to say if he doesn’t come out flying and helping turn the Avalanche season around, things will get ugly. Should he prove the wait was worth it and the Avs climb back into the teeth of the postseason race, fans in Denver will wonder why the team didn’t act sooner.