Revisiting the biggest offseason acquisitions in Nashville Predators History
By Chad Minton
Gustav Nyquist joins Ryan O'Reilly in Offseason 2023
Let's get to more recent times and discuss Gustav Nyquist and Ryan O'Reilly, both additions got the Barry Trotz era as Nashville Predators General Manager off to an exciting start.
No one was really sure what Trotz had planned as he was preparing for his first season as an NHL general manager, but signing the respected duo of O'Reilly and Nyquist ended up being a brilliant decision based on Year 1.
Just look at how productive O'Reilly and Nyquist were on Nashville's top line, joining forces with Filip Forsberg. It was more efficient and reliable than the infamous JoFA line was in the heyday of Ryan Johansen, Viktor Arvidsson and Forsberg.
Nashville's top line was second among NHL forward lines in 2023-24 in Expected Goals For with 39.9 according to MoneyPuck.com. They are expected to return in 2024-25 as Nashville's top line again, and now with reinforcements behind them in Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault.
I must admit that at the time I was enthusiastic about the O'Reilly signing and loved the championship pedigree he would bring at the center role, but was skeptical and more so just undecided about adding Nyquist to the mix.
Nyquist definitely proved my doubts to be wrong, and now the about-to-be 35-year-old veteran is looking to rebound off a career high season of 75 points.
The short-term route that Trotz took with Nyquist could also end up being a wise decision. Nyquist is going into his final year of his current deal, and will be easy trade bait if the Predators decide to move some pieces before the 2025 trade deadline.
O'Reilly is signed at three more years at a modest $4.5 million. For what he produced in his first year with Nashville, that is a bargain. Especially with the salary cap expected to keep growing in the coming years.