Bad Blood Could Be Brewing Between Ryan O'Reilly & Avs

DENVER (CBS4) - The Colorado Avalanche love center Ryan O'Reilly, but not at the salary he's due to make this season.

As an unrestricted free agent O'Reilly can command as much as $6.5 million, a bit rich as far as the Avs are concerned, so they're planning on going to arbitration.

Letting an arbitrator determine how much he is worth could lead to some bad blood like it did 2 years ago when O'Reilly held out for a new contract.

O'Reilly's agent, Pat Morris, is looking for a long-term deal.

"Ryan would like to stay in Colorado. At the same time a long-term deal has not been worked out or is close to being worked out," Morris said. "Ryan is unrestricted in 2 years and under the model now, given that Colorado has (arbitrated) him, the short-term looks like what the future is for Ryan."

The Avs also have to strike a new contract with Paul Stastny, who is a free agent.