Now that it has been reported that the Nashville Predators are at least willing to entertain trade offers for veteran center Ryan O’Reilly, it has become even clearer that the team will be selling players ahead of the 2025 NHL trade deadline.
Given that the Predators would only accept a trade offer that impresses them and O’Reilly, and given O’Reilly’s age and the Predators’ current situation, the team that acquires the 33-year-old next is going to be a contender.
Contenders are generally low on cap space, though, and O’Reilly has a $4.5 million cap hit for 2.5 more years. Which teams make the most sense for the former Stanley Cup champion?
No. 1: New Jersey Devils
New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald, the former Predators captain who played four years under Predators GM and ex-head coach Barry Trotz, starting with the team’s inception in 1998, has already publicly stated that he needs his depth forwards to do more.
Since then, it has also been reported that the Devils are looking for third- and fourth-line centers, as well as depth scoring in general. They’re also projected to have $7.4 million in cap space by the trade deadline.
That sounds like a job for Ryan O’Reilly.
O’Reilly is still an effective player on a good team, which the Predators currently are not. He is just one year removed from a 26-goal, 69-point season after falling off the wagon towards the end of his tenure with the St. Louis Blues.
A defensive maven down the middle, O’Reilly relishes the challenge of facing the toughest matchups opposing teams have to offer. By doing so in New Jersey, he frees up Devils captain Nico Hischier to do some of the scoring.
Hischier, 26, posted career-highs in goals (31), assists (49), and points (80) in the 2022-23 season, with Michael McLeod taking on most of the prominent defensive responsibilities.
As for a potential return, the Devils do not have a 2025 first-round pick, but they do have three second-round picks. They also have 21-year-old right-shot defenseman Seamus Casey, an offense-oriented player who scored three goals, one assist, and four points in an eight-game cameo with New Jersey earlier this season.
By acquiring Casey, for example, the Predators could add another young, NHL-ready talent on the right side (i.e. Justin Barron), an area of weakness in the organization.
Ryan Ufko is not as talented as Casey, while Andrew Gibson is a different type of player still a few years away from the big leagues.
Other intriguing prospects include…