NHL Executives Flag Ryan O'Reilly As Trade Name To Watch
In his September 29 edition of 32 Thoughts, Friedman revealed he'd asked two NHL executives separately which storyline around the league wasn't getting enough attention. Both independently pointed him toward O'Reilly.
A Verbal Promise That's About To Be Tested
O'Reilly, 35, is entering the final year of his contract at a $4.5 million cap hit, and he doesn't carry any formal trade protection in that deal.
Nashville has treated him as though he had a no-trade clause anyway, honoring what Friedman described as a verbal promise not to move him, a commitment that's held despite reported calls from multiple teams over the past two-plus years.
That arrangement gets harder to maintain once his contract actually runs out.
Friedman's read is that if the Predators decide they aren't going to offer O'Reilly an extension, he could become considerably more receptive to being moved elsewhere, especially for a player who's spent 17 seasons in the league and already has a Stanley Cup ring from his time with the Blues in 2019.
Elliotte Friedman about Ryan O'Reilly: ''I was talking with a couple of executives about storylines and what to watch. I asked if there was anything that I’m missing or wasn’t discussing enough. They both answered, "Ryan O’Reilly." Over the past two years, team after team tried… pic.twitter.com/w0Ldu84SXM
— R i N K Y (@RinkyReport) September 29, 2026
O'Reilly posted 74 points in 81 games last season while remaining one of the better faceoff men in the league, numbers that would make him a legitimate addition for a contending team looking for center depth down the stretch.
Montreal has been floated as one team worth watching given its own need down the middle, something Friedman himself had speculated about earlier this year.
His newest reporting doesn't confirm the Canadiens have renewed any specific conversation with Nashville, only that O'Reilly remains firmly on the league's radar regardless of who ends up calling.
With Ryan Reaves now retired that leaves Ryan O’Reilly, Jamie Benn and Zach Bogosian as the final remaining no-visor players in the NHL. pic.twitter.com/H77NiFRUUZ
— Nick Kieser🏒 (@KieserNick) September 16, 2026
Nashville currently sits with roughly $10.56 million in cap space, meaning GM Barry Trotz has little financial reason to move O'Reilly purely to create room.
Any deal would have to come down to Nashville's read on its own competitive window, and whether keeping a 35-year-old center without a long-term future in the organization still makes sense if the Predators' season doesn't turn around.
