Honestly, before 2019, I didn’t know much about Ryan O’Reilly, except that he went all out in the playoffs and crushed my Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup finals. I vividly remember thinking, “Who the heck is this guy?” as he dominated every game. He snagged the Conn Smythe trophy for being the playoff MVP and even beat out our guy Patrice Bergeron for the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the best defensive forward. So, in my book, Ryan O’Reilly owned the Boston Bruins in 2019 and kinda ruined my summer.
Like everyone else, the pandemic had my family stuck at home. But it gave me the chance to dive back into my hobby, completing sets like I did when I was a kid. I got hooked on Upper Deck’s Canvas cards. They’re this lower-end insert thing, but they capture some of the coolest moments in the sport. You’ll see a player gearing up for a big game or get a sneak peek into the locker room. Sometimes, it’s all about the team celebrating after an overtime win. It’s a cool way to look at things from a different angle. So, while I’m tearing open packs in search of these cards, I stumble upon Ryan O’Reilly’s 2020-21 UD Canvas #C69.
This card shows O’Reilly skating around his St. Louis Blues arena with the spotlight shining down on him like a movie star, and on the back, he’s holding his Conn Smythe Trophy from that he won just a few months prior. If one was to guess it’s from a ceremonial night honoring both O’Reilly and the Blues championship.
And yes, you guessed it, this card brought back memories of that still-fresh wound, adding to my “annoyance” with Ryan O’Reilly. We’ve all said, “Man, I hate that guy” about athletes. I didn’t actually hate him, but you get what I mean. I kept the card because I really wanted to finish the set, but I tried my best to ignore it.
Now, fast forward to Mother’s Day, May 14th, 2023. ESPN drops this short E60 documentary titled “Little Choices” featuring Ryan O’Reilly and his family. What caught me off guard was that the documentary was more about his mom, Bonnie O’Reilly.
Turns out, his parents, Brian and Bonnie are the most amazing humans. Living in a converted schoolhouse in Brucefield, north of Toronto, they raised Ryan, his brother (who also plays professional hockey in the AHL) , two sisters, and over 40 foster kids under the same roof! Imagine the hockey games in that house. But here’s the kicker: Bonnie O’Reilly becomes a hero by donating a kidney to the rink manager, Graham Nesbitt, diagnosed with Berger’s Disease. That choice connected their lives forever. I won’t spoil the whole documentary, but seriously, it’s a must-watch.
