The deal

Buffalo Sabres get: Ryan O’Reilly, Jamie McGinn

Colorado Avalanche get: No. 31 overall pick, Mikhail Grigorenko, J.T. Compher, Nikita Zadorov

Buffalo Sabres: B+ (becomes an A with a contract extension)

GM Tim Murray is nothing if not fearless. His approach has stocked the Sabres down the middle at one of the toughest positions to fill. With this monster trade, Buffalo has a center corps of Jack Eichel, Ryan O’Reilly, Zemgus Girgensons and Sam Reinhart. That’s how you build a team.

It was a huge price to pay to land O’Reilly, but the Sabres are getting a bonafide two-way player who is loved by his now former coach, Patrick Roy, for his approach to the game and is versatile enough that he’s equally comfortable on the wing. On a championship team, he’s a No. 2 center, not a No. 1, but that’s what Eichel is there for.

Teams talk for years about trying to add centers and never pull it off. Murray now has four.

Sabres fans should be excited about the O’Reilly addition but also keep expectations in check. He’s a guy you plug in for 20 goals and 60 points.

“Good -- not great,” an NHL scout said via text after the trade. “Excellent puck distributor. Best work comes inside blue line. Would be good paired with a skater and a shooter.”

The risk is that O’Reilly leaves in a year, but you don’t do this trade unless you’re confident you can get an extension done. Once owner Terry Pegula is ready to spend again, money won’t be an issue in Buffalo.

Colorado Avalanche: B+

The Avalanche have shown they’re not afraid to make the tough decisions, especially when it comes to finances. In the past two years, they’ve lost Paul Stastny and O’Reilly in part because they didn’t want to pay what others were willing.

It allows Joe Sakic to keep his salary structure in place, an important distinction in Colorado, a team with a budget. They’ve also lost two talented centers, but unlike with the loss Stastny, Colorado got a big return here. It’s a lesson learned.

Zadorov is the most important piece for a team that needs help on defense. According to ESPN Insider prospect analyst Corey Pronman, Zadorov is the only one of the three to earn a Top 20 prospect status.

“Zadorov is so fun to watch,” Pronman writes. “He's a brilliant skater for such a huge player and hits like a truck. He moves the puck well, has a big shot and, overall, is a very effective, two-way defenseman, minus some hiccups in his decision-making. A true top-tier defense prospect.”

Compher is considered a quality prospect whose biggest contributions might end up being on the Colorado penalty kill.

Grigorenko’s stock has dropped since he was picked with the No. 12 overall selection of the 2012 NHL draft. Avalanche coach Patrick Roy knows Grigorenko well from their time together in Quebec with the Remparts, and perhaps reuniting the two will help get Grigorenko back on track.

“Grigorenko looked very good when I scouted him in the AHL this year,” Pronman said. “His NHL performance has been the opposite of good, but keep in mind [that] for most prospects, this is their first pro year. His hockey sense and skill are elite, even if he's not the fastest and could use his big body better.”