Leaf fans show Ryan O'Reilly how they feel about him in his first visit back to Scotiabank Arena
When the Leafs had acquired Ryan O'Reilly back in February, the response from the fanbase was overwhelmingly positive. After all, then GM Kyle Dubas had gone out and swung big, bringing in a former Conn Smythe Trophy and Stanley Cup winner; what's not to be excited about?
O'Reilly's tenure in Toronto was a short one, but very productive. In 13 regular season games, O'Reilly had produced 11 points. He followed that up by posting 9 points in 11 postseason games for the Leafs, though the Leafs were eliminated in 5 games by the Florida Panthers in the second round.
While the Leafs and O'Reilly expressed a mutual interest in continuing the partnership, a wrench was thrown into any contract extension plans when Dubas was let go by Brendan Shanahan, and while Brad Treliving expressed those same interests in bringing O'Reilly back, the feelings, this time, were not mutual, and O'Reilly signed a 4-year deal in Nashville.
Last night, the Predators came to Toronto for the first time, and while you might have thought that O'Reilly, the hometown guy, would have received a warm welcome home, you'd be sorely mistaken. O'Reilly was actually booed by the fans in attendance.
According to reports this summer, the Maple Leafs offered O'Reilly a deal similar to the one he signed in Nashville, so some fans feel betrayed. Whatever O'Reilly's reasoning, whether it be the anonymity, the music or the team's track record in the postseason, he felt as though the fit was better for him in Nashville and it many Leaf fans have had a hard time accepting that.
O'Rielly has often spoken about his time in Toronto as a very positive experience and one of the most memorable in his career. He has held firm, from the very beginning, how much he loved his time with the Leafs. However, from a fan's perspective, him leaving after openly stating on a number of occasions previously that he'd love to stay will always smell of dishonesty and betrayal - even if he is one of the nicest and most candid players to ever play the game.
| POLL | ||
10 DECEMBRE | 883 ANSWERS Leaf fans show Ryan O'Reilly how they feel about him in his first visit back to Scotiabank Arena If you were in the building last night, would you have booed or cheered Ryan O'Reilly? | ||
| I'd have cheered him | 154 | 17.4 % |
| I'd have booed him | 339 | 38.4 % |
| Probably wouldn't have cared at all | 390 | 44.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
