Sam O'Reilly
C/W - #23 London Knights (OHL)
6’1, 176 lbs, Shoots: R
DOB: 30.03.2006 - Toronto, Ontario
People have talked about fellow OHL draft prospect Henry Mews as a player who is still adjusting to playing defence full-time. Well, Sam O’Reilly is the opposite kind of convert, a center who played some defense growing up through the Vaughan Kings organization. You can see this through O’Reilly’s attention to detail in all three zones; he plays a mature two-way game already. Scouts are bound to love O’Reilly’s compete level and growing skill set, all while under the tutelage of Dale Hunter, who has developed players like Sam extremely well in the last decade.
In a lot of ways, O’Reilly is a throwback kind of center. He plays a heavy game. He is a feared open-ice hitter who is very physical in puck pursuit. He works the wall well, tiring out defenders in the cycle. However, he also has puck skill and high-end vision, which helps him create in transition, even without high-end skating ability. In a lot of ways, O’Reilly reminds of former OHL’er Scott Laughton, who has become an excellent third-line center for the Philadelphia Flyers. Minnesota Wild pivot Ryan Hartman is another common comparison, one with a higher offensive ceiling.
The key for him will be improving his skating. He moves well in a straight line, even showcasing decent linear speed that allows him to drive the middle well. He can build speed out of pivots and this helps him to be a quick strike player in the offensive zone. However, his agility and edgework need a ton of work. He can get boxed in easily, especially when trying to lead the charge in transition as a pivot. Can he work to incorporate linear crossovers and better edges to help him be a more dynamic playmaker?
As is, O’Reilly looks like the next candidate to make a serious post-draft jump in London, a program that prides itself on earning ice time and responsibility over time. He was an excellent support piece during London’s run to an OHL championship (in addition to being runner-up at the Memorial Cup), which obviously impressed scouts. Can another London player be a relatively surprising first-round selection?
Skating
While O’Reilly isn’t the cleanest or most fluid skater, he is an effective power forward because of his ability to build speed and drive lanes working downhill. Once he gains a head of steam, he can beat defenders to the outside and cut into the middle, putting them on his back. As a strong defensive pivot, he routinely supports the breakout and often will lead the charge out of the defensive end himself, showing an impressive ability to build speed out of pivots.
O’Reilly also can sustain speed well while pivoting, maintaining his edges at top speed while he circles the offensive zone. He is also strong and balanced driving the net, hard to knock off stride once he builds speed.
Where O’Reilly struggles is in his ability to work East/West thanks to weaker edgework and lateral mobility. He loses significant speed when trying to alter direction or utilize linear crossovers. When he cuts into the middle, he often has to come to a complete stop, or close to it, and as such, loses his momentum and the leverage he had previously gained. O’Reilly can also be knocked off stride when he tries to make a sharp cut or pivot, which in turn can result in turnovers or rushed passes. Interestingly enough, O’Reilly’s best test at the NHL Combine’s fitness testing was the pro agility course. Usually, players who struggle with edgework, struggle on this test. As O’Reilly continues to improve his conditioning and the strength of his lower half, perhaps we see an improvement in this area, making him a more dynamic attacker. It certainly happened for a player like Mason McTavish in his post-draft year, and they are similar kinds of skaters/attackers.
A clear example of O’Reilly’s skating limitations. He creates enough separation initially to help him clear the neutral zone, but as he tries to alter his direction and drive wide, he loses all speed and is easily neutralized.
Another such example. He tries to work his way into the middle, but he’s not explosive enough laterally to create separation.
Strong end-to-end rush by O’Reilly that shows his ability to build speed.
Strong use of linear crossovers here that helps O’Reilly break in for a scoring chance.
It’s not pretty, but it works. O’Reilly, despite some choppy strides, builds enough speed to draw a penalty on this drive.
O’Reilly maintains speed on his edges, helping him circle the zone and protect the puck. Then he makes a great pass to set up the goal.
Grade: 50
Shot
O’Reilly is a very well-rounded offensive player; equal parts goal scorer and playmaker. Even as a goal scorer, almost no goal of his looks the exact same; there’s an efficiency and adaptability to his game. He doesn’t yet possess a heavy one-timer from the flank like teammate Kasper Halttunen. He doesn’t have a well-disguised release or heavy wrist shot like teammates Easton Cowan or Denver Barkey. However, he can certainly score in a multitude of ways thanks to quick hands and a quick release.
You’ll see O’Reilly jockeying for position near the crease for quick tap-ins or redirects. He has great offensive zone anticipation, timing cuts well, allowing him to get open in the slot for well-placed one-timer. He shows an accurate and quick snapshot that he uses when driving wide or cutting to the middle and he can beat goaltenders clean with it. He finishes well on breakaways, has deft hands in tight and is confident on both his backhand and forehand. Interestingly enough, as a minor hockey player, he often quarterbacked the powerplay and possessed a heavy one-timer. Perhaps as his OHL career advances and he earns more ice time and responsibility in London, we saw his confidence grow as a goal scorer.
One time finish in the slot for O’Reilly.
A beautiful goal from this year’s Memorial Cup. O’Reilly shows off some silky mitts then roofs it in tight.
Grade: 52.5
Skill
The application of his skill and creativity is probably the least consistent component of O’Reilly’s game. He flashes both high-end puck skill and dynamic one-on-one play as he drives the puck to the net, turning defenders into Swiss cheese. However, he’ll also fail to maintain possession on other drives, as he looks to get to the middle of the ice; his hands and feet failing to work in sync. Part of the lack of consistency here likely comes from a lack of dynamic skating ability. The hands are quick, but the four-way quickness just isn’t there for him to take advantage of that in a way that makes him a truly dangerous play driver…again, at least consistently.
O’Reilly’s soft hands are on display in other areas of his game; it’s not just about flashy individual plays with the puck. He routinely knocks down passes defending the high slot at even strength and on the penalty kill. He cleanly accepts bad passes and doesn’t need to break stride to make a play on the puck in the neutral zone. He re-directs pucks as a net-front presence and finishes well in tight. Who’s to say that as O’Reilly builds confidence, he can’t become a more stylized and overtly creative playmaker?
Additionally, O’Reilly’s skill as a passer should be mentioned. Again, it’s not always consistent, but he can really shine as a distributor. I believe most of that has to do with his excellent vision and anticipation, but the touch on his saucer passes and the precision of his seam passes are impressive. If he could just find a way to consistently create that extra time and space for himself, he would be able to make consistently better plays with the puck on his stick.
Very skilled finish by O’Reilly here as he catches the puck in stride, breaks in and roofs it.
Another high-skill play as O’Reilly goes skate to stick to corral the pass, then rips it back over to Cowan for the goal.
Look at the touch on this pass to Sam Dickinson for the goal, as O’Reilly catches him perfectly in stride. That pass had an absolutely minuscule window.
Forget Trevor Zegras and Sonny Milano. How about Sam O’Reilly and Ruslan Gazizov?
An example of the hands and feet not working completely in sync leading to a turnover.
Another such example. He just gets too wide and off-balance here, causing him to lose control and not get this shot off where he wants it.
Grade: 52.5
Smarts
This is an intelligent two-way pivot. O’Reilly projects as the kind of pro who can be utilized in all situations. He excels whether he’s on the wing or playing down the middle. He’s out there on the powerplay or protecting a lead with 30 seconds to go.
As an offensive player, O’Reilly’s vision really stands out. He is an excellent passer in transition with how quickly he makes decisions with the puck. He receives a pass and already has a plan in place of what he wants to do with it, be it driving the net or finding an open teammate. He incorporates delays in his attacks really well, perhaps out of necessity due to his lack of dynamic skating. However, it does allow him to survey the ice to find the best option to create a scoring chance. O’Reilly is also excellent at selling his shot as a decoy before passing off; he invites pressure and is not afraid to take a hit to make a play.
Defensively, O’Reilly is nearly flawless, one of the most polished and mature two-way forwards available this year. He routinely slides into the slot in coverage to take away passing lanes/scoring options. He collapses down low when needed and his physicality is a real asset there. He provides support on exits and is an excellent communicator on the ice. A terrific penalty killer, O’Reilly shows great anticipation and awareness defending the middle of the ice, routinely jumping passing lanes to initiate the counterattack or to help get pucks out. If his offensive game continues to develop, this is the kind of player who will get Selke votes as a pro.
O’Reilly sells the shot, freezes the defence and goaltender, then slides it over to Max Mccue for the goal.
Beautiful passing sequence here. The puck is on and off O’Reilly’s stick in a split second to help create the goal.
Another tremendous feed from O’Reilly, as he draws in multiple defenders and passes back across his body.
This play is set up by O’Reilly’s tremendous work on the backcheck as he strips Gavin Hayes and then helps to create the odd-man rush.
Another great defensive play as O’Reilly forces the turnover and then scores.
Grade: 55
Physical/Compete
O’Reilly’s bread and butter as a player. He’s so versatile because of his nonstop motor and terrific compete level.
He is outstanding in puck pursuit. A feared physical player, he throws his weight around with reckless abandon on the forecheck. Does it cause him to cross the line from time to time? Sure. However, he understands his role well and he knows that he is at his best when he brings a physical element.
O’Reilly is also extremely physical as a defensive player. He routinely uses his strength to take away space and separate opposing players from the puck, especially along the wall. He searches for opportunities to lay the body, routinely catching attackers with their heads down as they try to drive the London zone.
A crease crasher, O’Reilly also plays the role of pest. He gets under the skin of opposing defenders as he jockeys for position near the crease and along the wall.
On top of all this, O’Reilly is also the kind of player who will do anything his coaches and teammates need him to do. He blocks shots. He can take key faceoffs (with his faceoff consistency improving over the course of the season).
Typical strong defensive play by O’Reilly below the goal line. He easily separates his man from the puck physically and London breaks out.
O’Reilly lowers the boom on the forecheck.
O’Reilly lowers the boom on the forecheck again, except this time it’s a boarding penalty. This is the aforementioned line that he can cross from time to time.
O’Reilly’s forechecking work on the penalty kill leads to a turnover.
More great forechecking work on the penalty kill as O’Reilly strips 2025 top prospect Malcolm Spence and scores.
Is this a tripping penalty? Debatable. But O’Reilly catches the Oshawa defender off guard by slowing up, rather than finishing his check. Good stick work leads to a turnover and only a post prevents a goal.
O’Reilly loves to look for opportunities like this, catching opposing players in open ice.
Strong stick work by O’Reilly here as he forces the turnover. Unfortunately, the lack of quickness prevents him from creating something on the counterattack.
O’Reilly’s shot block leads to a breakaway by Easton Cowan.
Even in a 5-0 game, O’Reilly is putting the body on the line blocking shots.
O’Reilly collapses to defend the net front, blocking a shot and then pouncing on the loose puck to clear the zone, which leads to a significant scoring chance on the counterattack.
Great play by O’Reilly here to win the faceoff and reach to tip the puck to Cowan to secure victory in the round-robin game against Saginaw at the Memorial Cup.
Grade: 60
OFP: 53.75
A note on the 20-80 scale used above. We look at five attributes (skating, shooting, puck skills, hockey IQ and physicality) for skaters and six for goalies (athleticism/quickness, compete/temperament, vision/play reading, technique/style, rebound control and puck handling). Each individual attribute is graded along the 20-80 scales, which includes half-grades. The idea is that a projection of 50 in a given attribute meant that our observer believed that the player could get to roughly NHL average at that attribute at maturity.