Ryan O’Reilly to the Blues speculation keeps picking up steam.

It’s no secret that the Blues need a center in the worst way. It’s becoming a worse and worse kept secret that the Blues are very interested in Buffalo Sabres center Ryan O’Reilly, and you can’t blame them.

He has five years at $7.5 million per year left on his deal that was signed heading into 2016. Last season, he scored 24 goals and 61 points and he’s been a very consistent 50-60 point a season player over the years. He’s a perfectly solid and serviceable second line center, which is something that the Blues need.

But of course, as is always the case with heated trade speculation (and the deal isn’t being announced until this weekend, so we have to suffer through a couple more days of this), you’re going to get some clunkers of trade suggestions.

No. Not for a 60 point per rear player. I’ve also heard Rob Thomas’ name tossed about, and again, no. Let’s not mortgage the future on a 60 point guy. Speculation regarding O’Reilly, especially that involving the Blues and the Montreal Canadiens, has reached such a fever pitch that Sabres GM Jason Botterill had to step in and basically tell people to calm down.

“Look, there’s a ton of rumors out there right now on Ryan and I think a lot of them are very creative.

“I would just say, from day one, we’ve been very happy with Ryan being a part of our group. We’ve said before that it’s no surprise teams are calling on him. He has a great reputation throughout the National Hockey League so I understand why people call on him. The validity of a lot of the rumors are simply not true.”

Sure, no GM is going to say that any rumors are correct, but maybe people throwing out the batshit suggestions can cool it. Doug Armstrong isn’t going to send the team’s best prospects away for a second line center.

One assumes.

Hopefully.