Carolina Hurricanes & Nashville Predators Emerging as Trade Partners

The Ryan O'Reilly sweepstakes are running rampant at the moment, as the Nashville Predators are listening to trade offers on their veteran, two-way center. O'Reilly has had a great season, scoring 56 points, leading Nashville, and with their playoff chances slim, don't be surprised to see the Predators move their best trade asset.

The only condition here is that O'Reilly must approve the move, even without having any trade protection. Reportedly, there's a mutual agreement in place that the team won't move O'Reilly unless he is satisfied with the destination, as he doesn't want to play in a big market, or somewhere that he doesn't want to move his young family to.

O'Reilly is signed through next season at a very reasonable $4.5 million AAV, and he's certainly one of the biggest names available on the trade market. Recently, Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos commented on recent trade talks, and had this to say on a potential deal involving an Eastern Conference team:

O'Reilly is the only one of Nashville’s premium trade assets without any trade protection in his contract, so it’s going to be hard for Barry Trotz to keep hanging on to him. A reliable and experienced defensive centre, O’Reilly’s cap hit is entirely manageable, and he comes with an extra year of contract control, so he’s not a rental. Of anyone on Nashville's roster, O’Reilly is garnering the most attention because he plays such a sought-after position.

O'Reilly is much like Kadri is to Calgary. His value to Nashville will never be higher than it is right now, so you have to move him even though his contract isn't expiring. O'Reilly has had a great season and proven he can still compete. He leads Nashville in scoring with 56 points in 57 games, but by this time next year, he could have half as many points.

If the Hurricanes think they need to shore up their roster with some grit, I could see them taking a run at O'Reilly. Montreal has also been connected to him, but he wants to go somewhere quieter, so it's unlikely he'd green-light a move there. And although O'Reilly doesn't have any trade protection, the Predators are still trying to work with him on a landing spot.

The Hurricanes are in the market for a game-changer, and while the stats have been there this season, O'Reilly brings much more to the table. He's 'The Factor' and can make an impact on the ice in many different ways. This would be a huge add for the 'Canes.