Whether you agree or disagree with what the Nashville Predators end up doing at the trade deadline, it's pretty awesome to see storied NHL veterans like Ryan O'Reilly and Steven Stamkos remaining committed to staying here for the playoff push.
Let's be frank here; no expected this team to be still this close to a playoff spot this deep into the regular season. Improving from their 68 points last season was low hanging fruit, but they do have a decent chance to actually be one of the two wildcard teams in the West.
As I've repeated numerous times, and honestly anyone could've seen this coming even back around Christmas, the Predators front office is in a tricky situation. Do they buy into the playoff push that their veterans want to be a part of, or do they go heavy as sellers at the trade deadline?
Ryan O'Reilly and Steven Stamkos remain loyal to Nashville Predators playoff push
Most of the fellow fans I come into contact with on social media are much more in favor of trading anything and everything at the trade deadline, and would trade Barry Trotz and Andrew Brunette if they could as well. But the veterans in the locker room, including most prominently O'Reilly and Stamkos, are on the other side.
And before you say "well yeah, what do you expect them to say?", I just dont get that vibe from them. And honestly, I'm not even really surprised it's being reported that they feel this way just days before the trade deadline. This update via the NHL Rumour Report from Elliotte Friemdan echoes how loyal O'Reilly and Stamkos are remaining to the Predators and their playoff push, and I repsect the heck out of it even if I'd rather see the front office pursue a more long-term approach:
Elliotte Friedman: [Ryan O'Reilly] has told the team that he doesn't want to go; he wants to be part of the...team for the playoff push; Steven Stamkos, I was told, is in the same boat - 32 Thoughts (3/2)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) March 3, 2026
Let me start with O'Reilly first; he doesn't have a No Movement Clause and has the most trade interested of any player on the Predators right now. If he wanted to approach Predators management that he wants to go to a contender, then it would happen in a blink. But that just doesn't appear to be the case. Instead, he wants to see this through. He wants to remain committed to his Nashville teammates, especially the younger core of talent that has gotten more playing time this year. Like Luke Evangelista, Matthew Wood, Ozzy Wiesblatt, Adam Wilsby, Reid Schaefer, and now even Zachary L'Heureux.
For O'Reilly to want to stay in Nashville, which he also chose in free agency of 2024 when Trotz first got on board, and to remain committed to what is probably a more challenging situation than joining a win-now team that is Stanley Cup caliber and he can just join for the ride. Mad respect for that.
Stamkos' situation is a little different. He holds the No Movement Clause and dictates everything. Originally we saw a report that he had a short list of teams he might be wiling to go to, but that has since been refuted and now he appears the same as O'Reilly and wants to see it through with Nashville. I trust Friedman's insider knowledge more than anyone.
I can understand that many fans actually want to see these guys traded and for the Predators to stockpile high end draft picks and beef up their prospect pool, but we also have to be realistic here. The Predators are in a playoff race and these guys want to win to finish what they have started. They don't think like the fans do. True profressionals like O'Reilly and Stamkos don't listen to the outside noise.
Could this all be for nothing and is there a risk that not only could the Predators get roasted in the first round again, but also worse yet not even make the playoffs? For sure, and that is the enormous risk/reward that Trotz and the front office has to weigh. It's a very difficult situation to be in.
The Predators can still keep O'Reilly and Stamkos as part of their playoff push while also being cautious sellers. They can probably deal Michael McCarron for up to a 2nd-round draft pick possibly, and definitely deal Michael Bunting. They should also be heavily pursuing trade partners for Jonathan Marchessault and Nick Perbix.
Erik Haula is a wildcard for me because he plays a vital top-six center role, and your playoff push gets dealth a serious blow if you trade him now.
Regardless of how you feel about what the front office should do, you can't help but respect the loyalty that O'Reilly and Stamkos are showing to the Nashville Predators. For their teammates and to the fans. They want to deliver even if the overwhemling majority of media and fans think they're nothing more than a first round sacrificial lamb.