Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas on the Nashville Predators and interest in center Ryan O’Reilly, who doesn’t have any trade protection.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Bukauskas: “Well, keeping in that tune, then Saturday headlines over the weekend, your lead item was about Ryan O’Reilly of the Nashville Predators. So naturally, when you have a season like Nashville has had, they’re going to get calls about players. And we’ve already seen the move on from a few of them, (Dante) Fabbro, (Philip) Tomasino, (Alexander) Carrier all have new homes now.
And you would think, assume that Ryan O’Reilly would be a player of interest as well. He’s someone who has no trade protection, $4.5 million dollar cap hit for the next two seasons after this one.
NHL Rumors: Seattle Kraken, and the Dallas Stars
But as you’re pointing out, he may not have trade protection in writing, but it sounds like if Nashville was going to entertain any of this, they are treating it as such. He does have protection.”
Friedman: “Yes, and you hit on the key there that nobody, I don’t think anybody believes that in year two of his stay in Nashville, people would be talking about Ryan O’Reilly on trade boards. I think that’s a really important point that you made there at the beginning of your dissertation because that’s exactly why I think this is even a conversation.
And you’re also right that he does not have no-trade protection or no-move protection, but he’s being treated as such.
And I do believe so a lot of teams are having their scouting meetings right now. You know, you have your amateur meetings and you have your pro meetings. And as you can imagine there, the pro meetings, teams are looking for centers are talking about O’Reilly. And I heard that the predators have been called about him, and that’s what they had told teams, that he’s being treated as if he has no-move protection.
And it’s, yeah, I was told two things that the Predators have been saying, look like, you know, unfortunately, we’re gonna, we may have to consider this. I think their preference is to keep him. You know, the predators are looking for centers, and if you trade O’Reilly, you might be looking for more of them. And also, like the O’Reilly is a culture guy, and I think they want is, especially as they start bringing some young players in, they want him to be part of teaching these young players how to play.
NHL Rumors: Could the Toronto Maple Leafs Also be Looking at Adding a Defenseman?
And, you know, so I was told that he’s being treated he’s got no-move protection, and they won’t take anything to him unless it’s off the charts. And not only is there that, but you know, O’Reilly is going to have to agree to it.
So that’s kind of where it is because of who he is. I have no doubt there will be a lot of interest, but a) as I said, it’s going to be up to O’Reilly, and you’re going to have to pay for them to even think about going to him.
So that’s, that’s where it stands right now with him. He’s, he’s one of those really respected players around the NHL. And you know, the other thing that’s interesting about that too, is that, you know, Nashville wasn’t a team that gave a lot of protection, right? You know, they really took pride in, they didn’t throw around a lot of clauses. And your Roman Josi got them, obviously. And then, you know, last year, O’Reilly didn’t get them and then look at what happened last summer. They had to hand some of these out to some of these guys that they signed, and the (Steven) Stamkos, (Jonathan) Marchessault, and (Brady) Skjei’s.
And so I think that, you know, someone made a good point to me, that that’s part of this conversation too. Is that, you know, was indicated to O’Reilly, you know, we kind of don’t do that, then they did it. But, you know, obviously, the respect they have for him, they’re gonna, they’re gonna take care of him. Nothing’s happening to Ryan O’Reilly without his say so.”
Bukauskas: “Right, because he’s got a lot of respect. Barry Trotz has a lot of respect. That’s what was one thing I heard too, like we mentioned, some of the players that have been moved on elsewhere over the course of this season, from, from Nashville, was that Trotz, you know, I think he looked at situations where some players maybe weren’t getting opportunities. Things weren’t going great as a team. And, you know, he made sure that when there was a feeling of, Okay, it’s time for someplace new that he did his part in trying to make sure that would happen in those cases.
NHL Rumors: Dallas Stars, and the Toronto Maple Leafs
And I also think he was, would be somebody as frustrating as this year has been for the Preds. Like, if you’re ready to depart from Ryan O’Reilly, it almost feels like you’re preparing to take a step back for a longer period of time than I would imagine Trotz has in his mind. As they try to pick up the pieces here in quick fashion.”
Friedman: “I think that’s, that’s very fair. By the way, Forsberg has a no-move clause there too.”
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s new and we’re just getting started. Rumor roundups and hot topics from around the league.