The Toronto Maple Leafs made one of the biggest in-season splashes in the NHL this season. Last week, the Maple Leafs completed a three-team trade with St. Louis Blues and Minnesota Wild to acquire veteran center Ryan O'Reilly. On Tuesday night, O'Reilly suited up for the third time in a Toronto uniform. He did not disappoint.

O'Reilly scored a hat trick as the Maple Leafs defeated the Buffalo Sabres, 6-3, on the road. In doing so, he became the seventh player in franchise history, and first since Auston Matthews, to score his first three goals for Toronto as part of a hat trick. Matthews accomplished that feat in his first NHL game back in 2016 when he scored four goals.

Generally, becoming the seventh player in a franchises history is not necessarily groundbreaking. But considering the success and talent Toronto has had over the years (13 Stanley Cup titles, 2nd most in NHL history), this is noteworthy.

Even fewer did it after being traded to the Maple Leafs.

O'Reilly impressively opened up the scoring by notching two goals in the first five minutes of the game. He showed immediate chemistry with new teammates John Tavares and Mitchell Marner, who picked up the assists on both goals. He then scored an empty-net goal with just over a minute left to earn the hat trick.

Toronto is hoping to chase down the Boston Bruins in the Atlantic Division. The Maple Leafs are having a solid season, improving to 35-15-8 after the win. However, the Bruins are still 13 points ahead and on pace for the best record in NHL history.