Grading and Analyzing the Ryan O’Reilly Addition to Nashville Predators
By Chad Minton
If you thought the Nashville Predators were going to stay the course and play the safe approach, then the start of 2023 NHL Free Agency has been an eye-opener for you.
The Nashville Predators wasted no time after NHL Free Agency opened at noon eastern time on Saturday with the addition of three 30-plus year-old veterans, and Ryan O’Reilly being the main piece of the three.
Luke Schenn and Gustav Nyquist are the other two free agency additions for the Nashville Predators on Saturday.
O’Reilly signs with Nashville on a four-year deal worth $4.5 million AAV, and figures to battle for a top line center role alongside Filip Forsberg and another winger to be determined.
O’Reilly Brings a Winning Culture and Leadership to Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators had cleared up some short-term cap space by trading away Ryan Johansen last week, and then shockingly buying out the remainder of Matt Duchene‘s contract to give them plenty of spending money for the free agency market.
I have speculated shortly after the Johansen trade that this had to be part of Barry Trotz’s bigger, master plan and more big moves were ahead. Then Duchene happened, and it threw me for a loop, admittedly.
Although this year’s free agency market didn’t have the elite factor to it like other year’s past, the Predators dove right in despite Barry Trotz even admitting on occasions that the market wasn’t great.
Be that as it may, O’Reilly is a veteran presence who fits that winning culture. That culture that Trotz wants more of, and I can’t fault him for targeting a winner like O’Reilly.
O’Reilly won the Conn Smythe trophy for the St. Louis Blues in 2018-19 by putting up 23 points in 26 games on the run to that franchise’s first Stanley Cup.
Since then, O’Reilly has played in every postseason and has always been around a point-per-game producer in those clutch moments in the playoffs.
There is obviously the age concern. At age 32, O’Reilly might be on the downturn of his NHL career, but it shouldn’t just automatically make you hate this signing. There is always exceptions to the age limit for any athlete.
O’Reilly did deal with a finger injury after being acquired by the Toronto Maple Leafs at the trade deadline last season. Nothing to be concerned about from the Predators standpoint, but did slow down his 2022-23 campaign after his departure from the Blues where he really made a name for himself.
Although I didn’t see this coming, I actually love this addition for the Nashville Predators the more I think about it. He’s going to make the younger core around him better, he fills a major need for some veteran leadership with Johansen and Duchene gone, and he’ll bring a clutch factor to a team that desperately needs more of that.
Related Story. Nashville Predators 2023 NHL Free Agency Tracker. light
O’Reilly is coming up on his 1,000th NHL game, which is 42nd among active players and right in the neighborhood with such NHL stars as Steven Stamkos, John Tavares and Kris Letang.
Additionally, O’Reilly just eclipsed 700 career NHL points and is also a former Selke Trophy and Lady Byng Trophy winner.
Just at first glance, I like O’Reilly as the top line center now with Forsberg and Evangelista. That means moving Cody Glass down to the second line center role with Thomas Novak and Juuso Parssinen at wing, even though we want him eventually as a center as well.
O’Reilly can instantly make Forsberg reach his full potential as a goal scorer and bring Evangelista right along going into his second NHL season after blossoming quickly down the stretch of last season.