Come on, you know deep down this scares Montreal fans more than anything. Bergavin wins the chance to select 2OA and trades the pick for a 1/2 center to get Price some help.
O'Reilly isn't a 1/2 center.
He's a legit first line two way center. Production wise, he's on the low end of 1st line production with an average of 64 points per 82 games while playing for the Sabres, but he is otherwise one of the best defensive forwards in the league, excellent at faceoffs, and can play top minutes against tough competition.
Going off the consensus opinion about the prospects this season (Not my own, since I don't really watch much Junior), I would not give up 1 or 2 for O'Reilly, but for the right team in the right situation, giving up a pick in the defined 2nd tier of prospects (3-7?) for O'Reilly would be good value.
O'Reilly is still only 27 years old. He's cost controlled for the next five seasons without any form of trade protection. His cap hit is very reasonable given where the cap ceiling is at, and considering his contract was front loaded the actual money owed is less than his cap hit.
If Montreal were to get O'Reilly for the 3rd overall pick, it's fair value for them. I don't know if it's the right move given where they are at, but it's not that outlandish if they are trying to be competitive. I think Carolina might be the right team to make that kind of move if they get the 3rd overall pick, and Svechnikov+Dahlin go in the top 2. Especially if the Sabres and Hurricanes can game the trade where as an added consolation, the Sabres wait to send O'Reilly to Carolina until after his signing bonus is paid this season.