Sabres' Ryan O'Reilly: Wins team MVP award
O'Reilly was voted by his teammates as the MVP, The Buffalo News reports.
O'Reilly's win comes at no surprise after finishing second on the team in scoring with 55 points and leading the league in ice time among forwards. His on-ice leadership and two-way play has earned the respect of many around the league, and he'll represent Canada at the upcoming World Championships in France and Germany. With captain Brian Gionta set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer and a contract extension unlikely to come as the Sabres continue to build around its young core, O'Reilly is a leading candidate to inherit the mantle. Even though he's not an elite scorer, O'Reilly is still a valuable fantasy asset because of his 1,039 faceoff wins this season, which is only second to Patrice Bergeron's 1,089. With a healthy Evander Kane and Kyle Okposo on his flanks, he should be able to crack the 60-point mark next season.