Avalanche forward Ryan O’Reilly, dubbed “the world’s most interesting man” by former teammate Paul Stastny, has dramatically changed his diet since producing 28 goals last season, committing only one penalty and winning the Lady Byng Trophy as the NHL player who best exhibits sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability.
O’Reilly is dabbling in vegetarianism this season but still enjoys seafood during the season and a burger or hot dog in the summer. No other Avs player practices harder on and off the ice, and O’Reilly wants to explore the same improvement techniques with his diet.
His pregame meal is two salads, loaded with vegetables, and, yes, he gets a good share of grief from teammates for not going with the standard pasta with meat.
“It’s a cutback on it,” O’Reilly said of his consumption of red meat and poultry. “Last summer I wanted to come back this season and be a little lighter, and I read a book on it: ‘Eat to Live,’ which is talking about what you eat, how you eat and the most efficient way.
“My diet is fresh vegetables, fresh fruit. That’s got to be the main things that I eat. But I’ll have a burger in the summer, a hot dog or something like that at the golf course. During the season I’ll have a BLT or something, because I miss it. I wish I could go vegan (no animal products, including dairy), but it’s too tough. I like my ice cream too much.”
Like the majority of the Avs’ forwards — particularly the young ones — he has regressed in offensive production. In addition to his 28 goals, O’Reilly had 36 assists last season in 80 games. Entering Saturday night’s game against the visiting Dallas Stars, he had 10 goals and 29 points in 55 games.
But he feels better.
“I wouldn’t say I’m a vegetarian, but the main source of what I eat are salads and stuff like that,” he said. “I’ve noticed in recovery, and it’s more consistent. In comparison to last year, I don’t get as many cramps. I don’t know the science of it all, exactly, but I do feel better.”
Blockbuster trade. The Central Division got tougher for the Avalanche on Wednesday, when the Winnipeg Jets seemingly won a lopsided, seven-player trade with the Buffalo Sabres that included six first-round draft picks plus Denver-born Brendan Lemieux, the youngest son of former Avs forward Claude Lemieux who was selected with the first pick of the second round in 2014.
The playoff-bound Jets got stronger for this season and down the road, despite moving troubled winger Evander Kane.
In hindsight, Kane’s inability to find happiness in Winnipeg and get along with teammates was the best thing to happen for the franchise since it relocated from Atlanta in 2011.
The Jets sent a player who recently had season-ending shoulder surgery (Kane, 23) to Buffalo, along with 24-year-old defenseman Zach Bogosian, for 6-foot-8 defenseman Tyler Myers and forward Drew Stafford — both 20-something former first-round picks — plus forward prospects Joel Armia, 21, Lemieux, 18, and NCAA goalie Jason Kasdorf of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
That, right there, seems like a good trade for the Jets, but they also get one of Buffalo’s three first-round draft picks this summer.
Winnipeg won this trade in a landslide, ridding itself of a problem by filling holes this season and years to come.
Mike Chambers: mchambers@ or mikechambers
