Ryan O'Reilly apologized for the lengthy contract saga. O'Reilly's time as a restricted free agent holdout finally ended on Thursday with the Colorado Avalanche matching the Calgary Flames' offer sheet. "Sorry to everyone about the situation," O'Reilly said. "I'm very glad to say that it is over and i now can focus on what I love to do." We can't recommend grabbing him in standard leagues at this time. It's been nearly a year since his last NHL game and on top of that, it's not like he was a huge contributor from a fantasy perspective in the first place. In 2013-14, he might be an interesting sleeper, but for now, stay away from him.

Calgary Flames GM Jay Feaster attempted to acquired Ryan O'Reilly via a trade before his failed attempt to acquire him via an offer sheet. The Colorado Avalanche ultimately matched Calgary's offer for O'Reilly. "We attempted today to improve our hockey team," said Feaster. "We think Ryan O'Reilly is a franchise player. We had trade discussions with Colorado but at the end of the day felt the price to acquire the player was too steep and was something would negatively impact our future." Calgary would have surrendered a first and third round pick if Colorado had declined to match the Flames offer. As it is, Colorado will pay O'Reilly a signing bonus of $2.5 million, plus another $1 million for the rest of the campaign. He will also earn $6.5 million in 2013-14 and has an average annual salary will be $5 million (keep in mind that O'Reilly is joining the 2012-13 campaign late and it's a shortened season as well).

According to numerous reports, the Avalanche have agreed to match the offer sheet signed by Ryan O'Reilly with the Flames. This is a somewhat surprising turn of events as the relationship between the two sides seemed to have become strained during O'Reilly's holdout, but Colorado acted swiftly to ensure the two-way center stays in the fold for at least two more seasons.

The Calgary Flames have filed an offer-sheet offer for Colorado restricted free agent Ryan O'Reilly. According to TSN's Darren Dreger the offer sheet carries an average annual value of $5 million for two seasons. He would make a $1 million base salary this year, with a $2.5 million signing bonus, and $6.5 million for next season.

There is nothing to report on any new negotiations between Ryan O'Reilly and the Colorado Avalanche. It is looking more and more that the restricted free agent will be dealt and there were plenty of Eastern Conference scouts on hand Sunday when the Avs played Anaheim, which looks like where he will go, especially since the two conferences do not play each other this regular season. Stay tuned.

Ryan O'Reilly said he was unaware of his father's email to the Denver Post in which Brian O'Reilly said he believes the Avs don't value his son's character. Ryan O'Reilly took to Twitter on Thursday night to apologize for the letter, writing, "I had no idea of my dads letter to the Denver post. It's tough situation I apologize to anyone bothered by this. Hopefully its over soon." O'Reilly's contract dispute with the Avs has officially passed bitter and is now entering the "When will this end?" phase.

In an email to the Denver Post, Ryan O'Reilly's father says his son's contract situation is not about the money and "never has been." Brian O'Reilly also said he thinks the Avs don't value the character of his son. The elder O'Reilly even uses hypothetical math grades to back up his son's contract demands. "If my son was getting 95 in math we wouldn't ask him to get 65 so the rest of the students in the classroom could feel better about themselves," Brian O'Reilly writes in a very long note that is just the latest sign that this saga is unlikely to end with Ryan O'Reilly still in an Avalanche uniform.

The Lightning have interest in the Avalanche's Ryan O'Reilly but are unlikely to be a fit because they don't have the players to use in a trade for him. The Avs are receiving a lot of interest from the Eastern Conference teams, which makes sense because the team would prefer to move him out of conference, if a trade is what it ultimately ends up doing. The Tampa Bay Times' Damiam Cristodero says it's not the money -- which could be $5 million per year -- that would prevent a deal, but the cost in players the Bolts just don't have.

Matt Duchene said he wouldn't have done things the same way as restricted free agent Ryan O'Reilly. That's not hard to believe, considering Duchene inked the same two-year/$7 million deal that O'Reilly has reportedly refused. Duchene said that he would love a long-term contract, but he has to earn it and he recognizes that his struggles last season opened the door to some questions he has to answer in 2013. At the same time, Duchene isn't hostile towards O'Reilly's decision. "With him, I don't know what the conversations are between him and the team, and I don't know what they are between him and his agent," Duchene said. "But at the end of the day, he's a pro, he's a guy who's looking for something. You have to respect that. It's a business."

According to the the New York Post's Larry Brooks, the Rangers "have checked in on" Ryan O'Reilly, "but are very unlikely" to try to work out a deal with the Avalanche. Brooks said it's unclear what the Rangers would have to part with, but it's the salary demands that are most discouraging. O'Reilly, who recorded 55 points a year ago, has rejected Colorado's two-year, $3.5 million offer and five-year one with less annual average salary.