Awesome article by Reagan Smith for Colorado Hockey Now as he spends the day at the Pepsi Center for the Avlanche - Blues game tonight!

Ryan O’Reilly returns to Pepsi Center a champion; “I can’t regret anything I’ve done.”

By Reagan Smith. for Colorado Hockey Now

They say all new things will eventually lose their luster. Cars, houses and even feelings all dull with time.

For St. Louis Blues centerman Ryan O’Reilly, the return to Pepsi Center has become nothing more than just another day at the office—at another rink, in another city, in another time zone.

It wasn’t always that way, though.

After spending his first six years of his NHL career with the Colorado Avalanche (33rd overall pick in the 2009 NHL Draft), and racking up 246 points in the process, his tenure in the Mile High City came to an end. O’Reilly was on his way to upper New York with the Buffalo Sabres, while a handful of players and prospects were on their way to Denver. Nikita Zadorov or J.T. Compher ring a bell?

For those first few seasons after leaving, the Canadian admitted that it is, in fact, a very odd feeling to be in the away locker room just feet away from where it all started.

“The first couple of years [after leaving] was very weird after spending a lot of time here,” O’Reilly said. “Now, it’s just a road city… so it’s not as weird as it was.”

Flash forward to the present, and O’Reilly returns to Pepsi Center for the first time this season with an impressive list of hardware in tow.

In addition to leading the Blues to a Stanley Cup victory with a career-high 77-point season, his playoff co-leading 23-point showing cemented his Conn Smythe Trophy victory, as well.

To add the cherry on the top of the Cinderella season, O’Reilly secured the Frank J. Selke Trophy by possessing the most skilled defensive play by a forward.

Following morning skate, Thursday, I asked O’Reilly if looking back, he would have ever thought it would have been the Blues of all teams that he would have accomplished all that he has.

After a quick chuckle to the question, he cited just how crazy the game really is.

“No, not really,” O’Reilly said. “You never know how things are going to work out, and obviously they worked out so well for myself to achieve that and now hopefully have another opportunity to do it again.”

While O’Reilly was reflecting back in that moment, I got the sense of just how crazy it truly is to be a player in the NHL. As well as just how quickly things can change in the blink of an eye.

“It’s funny,” O’Reilly said. “Being in this arena, you do remember what it’s like being a rookie coming in and thinking you were going to spend your career somewhere. And then, you know, changes happen. I honestly think it’s for the better. I can’t regret anything I’ve done.”

Once dressed a hero, now an enemy, there is still a bunch of love and support that O’Reilly receives on his seldom returns back to Colorado.

“I have a lot of buddies and friends here that I get a chance to see,” O’Reilly said. “Obviously I had some great friends and relationships throughout my time here. So it is really nice to see [those people].”

At the end of the day, though, Ryan O’Reilly is here to ultimately build up the Blues’ Central Division lead while also building on his pair of assists he captured against the Avalanche this season.

Puck drop is at 7:30 on NBCSN.