The Nashville Predators have made the biggest splash of the day so far, signing former Conn Smythe Trophy winner Ryan O’Reilly to a four-year contract worth $4.5MM per season, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
While many expected the trade of Ryan Johansen to Colorado and yesterday’s Matt Duchene buyout to signal a rebuild-like direction for Nashville under new GM Barry Trotz, today’s signings of O’Reilly and defenseman Luke Schenn suggest otherwise.
At 32 years of age, adding a Conn Smythe winner in Ryan O’Reilly is firmly a win-now signing. O’Reilly is at his most valuable in the postseason, and is talents would be wasted on a club building for some distant future rather than an immediate playoff run.
O’Reilly has long been regarded as one of the top two-way centers in hockey, though his form in St. Louis earlier this season did raise some concerns about how his offense will age as he gets deeper into his thirties. O’Reilly scored 58 points in 2021-22 but just 19 in 40 games to start the year with the Blues.
He did fare much better after a mid-season deal to Toronto, so Nashville will undoubtedly be hoping that his Toronto form is more indicative of what they’ll be getting for the next four years.
If nothing else, the addition of O’Reilly will be a huge benefit to the Predators’ current crop of inexperienced young centers, such as Cody Glass, Juuso Parssinen, and Thomas Novak. If O’Reilly can help those pivots grow into quality NHLers while also playing up to the standard he’s established throughout his career, a $4.5MM price tag will feel like a bargain.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Wow
So Trotz is signing old guys to begin the rebuild? Am I missing something here?
Nope you are not missing anything. How this makes sense with the earlier moves like buying out Duchene I have no idea. Good news, they are not tanking. Bad news, I can’t make sense of what they are doing.
@Gbear – FYI, DP from TFP will be on SN590 with Gunning and Stellick shortly.
@mattc68 – Since getting rid of Johansen & Duchene, they are in desperate need of a guy who can be a faceoff machine. O’Reilly will go to the top of the list. Of course, that is predicated on the linemates doing their job and not losing what O’Reilly just won.
@Mac – Trotz is building the team he wanted 10 years ago, lol!
@Gbear – Did you say Trotz, or Chiarelli? The former guy is much more enjoyable to listen to, but right now, he’s pushing on the same rope.
Let’s see how this contract ages in 2 years.
Buyout, lol!
Trots needs to stick to coaching
Feels like classic “we need Cup winners to mentor the youth movement” mentality Brian Burke talks about when justifying geriatric contracts.
That’s why I find free agency always a bit sad: Most stupid offer wins
What in the world is Nashville doing?
I was thinking that myself. They were doing the sort of teardown that cries out “rebuild,” and then they make a signing like this? What on earth.
What the??? 4.5 x 4 are you serious?
Holy shit, Trotz is sabotaging this team. Hahahahahaha.