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Ryan O'Reilly

Team Canada Announces Initial World Championship Roster

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Hockey Canada has followed up news of their World Championship coaching staff by announcing the first 15 players on their tournament roster. The team is a healthy mix between veteran NHL experience and burgeoning stars. That includes reigning first overall draft pick Macklin Celebrini, who will receive his first chance to join Canada’s Men’s team. Celebrini will operate down a loaded center depth chart, behind NHL stars Bo Horvat and Ryan O’Reilly.

Celebrini is the headliner, but Canada will embrace a major youth movement with this lineup. They’re also bringing young forward Adam Fantilli and Kent Johnson, as well as defenseman Ryker Evans. All three players proved their worth as everyday NHL talents this season – Fantilli with a 30-goal season, Johnson with 57 points, and Evans with a routine top-four role in Seattle. Interestingly, the roster does not yet contain 2023 first-overall pick Connor Bedard, who scored eight points in 10 tourney games last summer.

Team Canada has also invited 22-year-old goaltender Dylan Garand – the only invitee to not spend the entire season in the NHL. Garand instead served as the starter for the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, where he managed a .913 save percentage and 20-10-8 record. He’ll likely be the third-string goaltender once Canada adds more experienced pros currently in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Evans’ role on defense will be sheltered by major supports in the form of MacKenzie Weegar, Noah Dobson, Brandon Montour, and Travis Sanheim. All four players are top defensemen for their NHL clubs and collectively form a very experienced blue-line for the international lineup. None of Canada’s first five defense invites were on the World Championship roster last year.

The current roster is as follows:

F Macklin Celebrini (Sharks)
F William Cuylle (Rangers)
F Adam Fantilli (Blue Jackets)
F Tyson Foerster (Flyers)
F Barrett Hayton (Hockey Club)
F Bo Horvat (Islanders)
F Kent Johnson (Blue Jackets)
F Travis Konecny (Flyers)
F Ryan O’Reilly (Predators)

D Noah Dobson (Islanders)
D Ryker Evans (Kraken)
D Brandon Montour (Kraken)
D Travis Sanheim (Flyers)
D MacKenzie Weegar (Flames)

G Dylan Garand (Rangers)

New Jersey Devils Have Expressed Interest In Ryan O’Reilly

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According to Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli, the New Jersey Devils have contacted the Nashville Predators regarding Ryan O’Reilly’s availability. New Jersey is desperately attempting to fill the void left by Jack Hughes after losing him for the remainder of the season due to shoulder surgery.

O’Reilly makes sense as a Devils’ trade target for several reasons. He won’t be able to replicate Hughes’s high-level scoring, but he’s a robust two-way center with plenty of playoff experience. Even when Hughes returns next September, adding O’Reilly would give New Jersey a solid center trio through the 2026-27 season.

The 16-year veteran is in year two of a four-year, $18MM contract signed with the Predators in 2023. He performed admirably in his first year with the club, scoring 26 goals and 69 points in 82 games. On the defensive side of the puck, O’Reilly carried a 53.9% faceoff rate, with many of those draws coming in the offensive zone. Because of his performance last year, O’Reilly finished 36th in Selke Trophy voting.

Like many players on Nashville’s roster, O’Reilly has struggled offensively. Still, there are a few positives to take away from his performance this season. O’Reilly has increased his faceoff rate to 56.6% and his CorsiFor% at even strength to 55.1%. He would make a valuable addition to New Jersey for his faceoff rate alone, given the team ranks 24th in the category with a 49.05% success rate.

There would be offensive struggles in New Jersey the rest of the way simply because there’s no replacing Hughes in the lineup. Still, O’Reilly is an adequate second-line center on any team and could slide down to the third line next season. Unfortunately, the Predators won’t let him be had very easily.

Although his contract doesn’t have trade protection, the Predators have publicly stated they’ll treat O’Reilly as if he has a full no-movement clause. Meanwhile, despite being 30th in the league standings, Nashville hasn’t expressed much desire to move him.

The Devils must present the Predators with a substantial offer if they want O’Reilly to change hands. Since he is not a rental player, this might be something they are willing to consider.

Predators Looking To The Future As Trade Deadline Approaches

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It certainly wouldn’t be an overstatement to say the Nashville Predators overplayed their hand last summer. General manager Barry Trotz used free agency to lock up $20.5MM per season in Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei through at least 2028. The moves were transformative. In one fell swoop, Nashville landed Stamkos in his first trip to unrestricted free agency and locked up the top of their lineup. It gave the Predators a roster that, on paper, seemed guaranteed to challenge playoff contention. But the new band started the year with a dismal 5-10-3 record that they haven’t recovered from since.

Nashville now ranks second-to-last in the Central Division with the Trade Deadline just around the corner. That standing will inevitably affect their deadline approach. Trotz told Nick Kieser of Nashville’s 102.5 The Game that he’s met with the Predators’ top players and shared a clear sentiment – either you’re in for the long haul, or he’ll look for a move. That includes potentially asking players with no movement clauses to consider waiving – a group that includes Stamkos, Skjei, Roman Josi, and Filip Forsberg. When asked about his feelings about the failed project, Trotz added that Nashville is already onto the next stage of their long-term plan, and told Kieser, “I’m okay with it. We took our swing, okay? We still need guys to play against top players.”

The Predators haven’t earned much for their high spending this summer. The team is, once again, led in scoring by Forsberg – who has 21 goals and 53 points in 56 games despite Nashville ranking second-to-last in total goals. Marchessault has done enough to earn the second place spot with 45 points – but Stamkos has only recorded 33, and Skjei only 21. Those are far from the top-of-the-lineup stats that Nashville was hoping for, and they could make parting with any failed additions a tall order.

Any of Nashville’s deadline moves will be solely focused on leaning into their future. Their top prospects have been the silver lining this season. Zachary L’Heureux has earned a routine spot in the lineup with his sharp-edged physicality, and each of Joakim Kemell, Fedor Svechkov, and Reid Schaefer seem close to making the jump themselves. But finding space in a loaded veteran lineup has been challenging, especially with bottom-six options like Colton Sissons and Thomas Novak standing as the team’s last line of defense at points this season. Each of L’Heureux, Kemell, and Schaefer are currently listed as left-wingers, and thus compete with Gustav Nyquist, Cole Smith, and Marchesseault for space on the depth chart. Moving one of the three veterans, or even parting ways with a low-stakes centerman, could go a long way towards giving Nashville’s top youngsters some more room to breathe.

Nashville also has six picks in the first three rounds of this year’s draft, which could be enough to land some of the deadline’s top young options with a blockbuster swap. 23-year-olds Bowen Byram and Dylan Cozens have both been rumored to be on the Buffalo Sabres’ chopping block for the right price, and could bring the spark needed to lead Nashville into their next step. Nashville could also make a swing for high-skill, high-upside winger Trevor Zegras, who has slowly drifted away from the Anaheim Ducks in the last two seasons. All three players seem like long shots to head to Tennessee – and it’s not clear how they’d fit into a confused Predators lineup – but landing a big splash could help Nashville turn towards the future without jeopardizing Trotz’s hope for top-line competitors.

Nashville will need to be ready to pay big for any of those young options – especially with Buffalo and Anaheim well outside of their own playoff race. The Predators may instead need to paint Stamkos and Marchesseault as reclamation projects who could make big marks of a playoff hopeful. Both stars are enticing options, even in a down year. They each scored 40 goals last season, and now find themselves pushing to score 20 this year. That speaks to certain upside, should a different team rediscover their offense. Even then, cap concerns will quickly come into the conversation – which could push a cheaper option like Ryan O’Reilly into the forefront. O’Reilly carries a $4.5MM cap hit through the 2026-27 season, and could entice deadline buyers with his two-way play.

A smooth tongue, or the right mix of draft picks, could land Nashville a hefty return for their aging veterans – but it will take a major effort. It seems more likely that the team will clear out their depth chart through moving vets like Nyquist, Smith, Sissons, or Michael McCarron. Those dump offs would certainly open space for top prospects, but Nashville will have to make sure their pricey stars are open to supporting a lengthy retool or rebuild. If not, Trotz may need to find yet another blockbuster to try and push his team onto the right track.

Predators Expecting Increase In Trade Talks, Interest In Ryan O’Reilly

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The Nashville Predators entered the 2024-25 season with, on paper, one of the best rosters in the NHL. They won the sweepstakes for Tampa Bay Lightning legend Steven Stamkos in his first trip to unrestricted free agency, and bolstered him with impact players in Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei. But Nashville now sits with a dismal 13-22-7 record halfway through the season. They rank as a bottom-three team in the NHL, and have responded to the disappointing year by kicking off a fire sale of trades and roster moves. The Predators have already made five trades this season, shipping off Philip Tomasino, Scott Wedgewood, Alexandre Carrier, and Juuso Parssinen; while also losing Dante Fabbro to Columbus via a waiver claim.

Despite all of that change, it seems Nashville’s novice general manager Barry Trotz is preparing for even more action. He told Nick Kieser of Nashville’s 102.5 The Game that the team is expecting an uptick in trade conversations now that the league’s winter meetings are winding down. Trotz went on to mention former Selke Trophy and Conn Smythe Trophy winner Ryan O’Reilly specifically, sharing that he’s expecting plenty of teams to be interested in the depth forward. Trotz didn’t rule out a trade but emphasized that the team will talk with O’Reilly before making any sort of move.

O’Reilly is no stranger to Trade Deadline swaps, joining the Toronto Maple Leafs via a Deadline move in 2023. He scored 20 points in 24 total games with the Leafs before signing with Nashville in the following summer. He’s seen an uptick in his production in two years with the Preds, netting 26 goals and 69 points in 82 games last year and on pace for 53 points this season. Both marks sit in line with O’Reilly’s scoring during his prime years with the St. Louis Blues. Now 33, the shutdown forward’s overall impact is starting to dwindle – though his 55-percent faceoff win rate and 37 still rank second among Predators forwards, behind only Colton Sissons (56.2 faceoff percent, 44 hits).

With the trade deadline the point of conversation, Trotz also emphasized to Kieser that the team’s big blow up has already occurred. He said that, “this trade deadline is going to look a little different.” That comment likely references the four trades Nashville made ahead of last year’s Deadline, used to acquire Anthony Beauvillier, Jeremy Hanzel, Jason Zucker, and Wade Allison. Hanzel is the only one of the four still in the Predators organization.

If the Predators acquire anyone, Trotz says they’ll be looking for players with term on their contract, in an effort to build around their emerging young players rather than replacing them in the lineup. Both Zachary L’Heureux and Fedor Svechkov have been notable pieces of the Predators’ lineup at some point this season. L’Heureux has scored nine points in 34 games – officially marking his rookie season – while Svechkov has four points in 13 games and was returned to the AHL. Svechkov is joined by other top prospects Joakim Kemell and Reid Schaefer in the minor leagues. Kemell has scored 18 points in 30 AHL games, while Scahefer – who has been out of the lineup since early December with an upper-body injury – has 14 points in 19 games. Both players could also be candidates for NHL ice time sooner rather than later, especially if the Predators continue to move out veteran pieces.

The Predators will be in a bind at the Deadline, no matter if they choose to buy or sell. The team has five picks in the top two rounds of the 2025 NHL Draft, plenty of ammunition to bring in a potential difference-maker, though that’s a hard sell for a team so far away from playoff contention. Nashville seems more likely to trim some lineup weight by moving players like Thomas Novak and Michael McCarron. Both players have offered stout depth behind Nashville’s presumed stars, though neither has reached 10 points this season despite playing 33 and 34 games respectively. A more hopeful team could see the duo’s slumping scoring as a chance to buy low on two potentially impactful depth forwards ahead of their own playoff push.

Nashville Predators Issue Injury Updates

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The Nashville Predators will be looking for their eighth win of the season tonight without a few key players. The organization announced center Ryan O’Reilly is week-to-week with a lower-body injury and that defenseman Jeremy Lauzon has been placed on the injured reserve. The only player Nashville will receive back tonight is forward Michael McCarron, who’s been activated from the injured reserve.

It’s an insult to injury for a team that has struggled to score this season. Nashville’s first line of Filip Forsberg, O’Reilly, and Gustav Nyquist has led the team with a 55.8% xGoals% in 175 minutes and represents three of the top-six highest-scoring forwards on the roster.

O’Reilly has been a large part of that line’s success. He’s won 55.2% of nearly 500 faceoffs despite most of his draws coming in the offensive zone. He’s only managed five goals and 14 points through 26 games this season but is shooting one percentage point higher than his career average.

The Predators will try newcomer Steven Stamkos on the first line in O’Reilly’s stead. He’s not nearly as good as O’Reilly in the faceoff dot but has held his own throughout his career. The one issue that could arise is Forbserg and Stamkos are both shoot-first players which could cause some chemistry issues on the top line.

McCarron’s return reintroduces some size to the team’s fourth line. McCarron won’t help the team alleviate their goal-scoring issues as he’s only scored two goals and four points in 18 games. Still, he brings a physical presence to his game which is always useful toward the bottom of the lineup.

Lauzon’s lower-body injury strikes as an addition by subtraction for the Predators. He’s maintained his physicality this year with 103 hits in 22 games but hasn’t done much aside from that. Head coach Andrew Brunette finally separated the defensive pairing of Lauzon and Alexandre Carrier but the former still seems like he needs a reset.

Edmonton Oilers Make Changes To Scouting Staff

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The Edmonton Oilers announced today that they have made several changes to their scouting staff as the team gears up for training camp. The club has named Rick Pracey as Director of Amateur Scouting while mutually parting ways with Tyler Wright.

The 52-year-old Pracey has been an amateur scout with the Philadelphia Flyers since 2014 and brings over 20 years of scouting experience to Edmonton. He has previously worked as a Director of Amateur Scouting with the Colorado Avalanche, a role he served in from 2008-14 during which time the team selected Tyson Barrie, Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog, Ryan O’Reilly, and Matt Duchene.

A native of Hamilton, Ontario, Pracey’s professional playing career was short-lived as he played college hockey in Canada for both the University of Windsor and Wilfrid Laurier University, as well as a one-year stint in the UHL. After his playing career was over, Pracey joined the Avalanche in 2001 in an amateur scouting role and built his career from there.

For Tyler Wright, he moves on after just over four years with the Oilers. The 50-year-old came over to Edmonton in July 2019 along with Ken Holland after working alongside Holland with the Detroit Red Wings for six seasons. He served as Director of Amateur Scouting for all four years and was in the same role with the Red Wings for over six years.

It will be interesting to see where he lands given that the move was a mutual one for Wright and the Oilers. Wright’s work likely went by the wayside this year as the Oilers drafted just three players in June’s NHL entry draft after trading away picks in the Mattias Ekholm and Kailer Yamamoto trades.

Nashville Predators To Sign Ryan O’Reilly

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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

Ryan O’Reilly And Luke Schenn Expected To Test The Market

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The Maple Leafs were hoping to keep a pair of their pending unrestricted free agents in the fold but it may not play out that way.  Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that center Ryan O’Reilly will test the market today while Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets and TSN adds (Twitter link) that defenseman Luke Schenn will do the same.

O’Reilly was one of Toronto’s key trade deadline acquisitions, coming over in a trade from St. Louis.  The 32-year-old fit in well with his hometown team, picking up 11 points in 13 games down the stretch while winning 62% of his faceoffs.  O’Reilly then put up nine points in 11 playoff contests, cementing himself as one of the top middlemen on the open market; he ranks seventh on our Top 50 UFA list.

LeBrun notes that the Maple Leafs had interest right to the end so it’s possible that the veteran circles back depending on how his market plays out today.  That said, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that Detroit, Montreal, Nashville, and Vancouver are all linked to O’Reilly as well so there could be enough interest to push his price tag out of Toronto’s price range.

As for Schenn, Johnston reports that again, there was mutual interest in getting something done but the level of interest in the 33-year-old has yielded an offer from another team that’s too strong for the Maple Leafs to match.  Schenn matched his career high in points with 22 last season and chipped in with a career-high 318 hits.  After playing for the last four seasons on contracts worth less than $1MM, that seems sure to change today for the 37th-ranked UFA on our list.

Morning Notes: Hellebuyck, O’Reilly, DeBrincat

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Mark down the New Jersey Devils as a major player in the Connor Hellebuyck trade sweepstakes, says Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic. The 30-year-old Vezina-caliber netminder is on the trade block after informing the Winnipeg Jets he won’t sign an extension, and LeBrun says there’s mutual interest between the netminder and the Devils in a long-term agreement. Hellebuyck has gone on a remarkable run since becoming Winnipeg’s starter, leading in the league in either games played or saves made for six straight seasons. The workhorse netminder would be a massive, immediate upgrade on Vitek Vanecek, who did have a solid 2022-23 campaign but can struggle heavily with consistency. LeBrun adds, though, that New Jersey likely won’t pursue a sign-and-trade if Hellebuyck is demanding around $9.5MM on an extension, as previously reported.

More notes from LeBrun as free agency draws closer:

  • The door hasn’t closed on a Ryan O’Reilly return to the Toronto Maple Leafs, LeBrun says. The veteran center is keeping all of his options open, with a weak center class on the open market likely driving up his value despite a down season in 2022-23. He could very well price himself out of a return, but LeBrun reports Toronto general manager Brad Treliving has expressed interest to O’Reilly’s camp in having him come back after a stretch of solid play. Multiple sources have suggested the 32-year-old is in line for a short-term (but multi-year) deal north of $5MM, which may not be attainable for the Leafs, considering they have at least five forward spots to fill (and an extension for netminder Ilya Samsonov).
  • Reporting earlier this week suggested Alex DeBrincat had a set list of teams he’d be willing to accept a long-term sign-and-trade deal with, but LeBrun says other teams have “given DeBrincat’s camp some things to think about” with their inquiries. With the market expanding, Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion seems content to let this play out for a better return, and LeBrun reports he’s more than willing to accept a 2024 first-round pick to get a deal done rather than limiting himself to finishing the trade process before the 2023 draft next week. Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch had named Dallas, Detroit, Florida, Nashville, and Vegas as specific teams DeBrincat had an interest in.

Atlantic Injury Notes: Hall, O’Reilly, Harvey-Pinard

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Boston Bruins winger Taylor Hall practiced on Wednesday and wore a regular jersey for the first time since sustaining a lower-body injury in late February. The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa tweeted the news, which is a positive sign for the team as they gear up for the playoffs.

Hall has been an integral part of the Bruins’ depth scoring since being acquired in an April 2021 trade with the Buffalo Sabres. He has scored 16 goals and added 20 assists in 58 games this year, giving Boston a skilled option far down the lineup, often in a third-line role. With quite literally nothing left to play for until the playoffs begin on April 17, the Bruins are likely hoping to get Hall back into game action for at least one or two matchups before the postseason commences. They’ll need to perform some salary cap gymnastics to do so, however, with the team currently using Hall’s $6MM cap hit on long-term injured reserve to remain cap-compliant.

  • Ryan O’Reilly of the Toronto Maple Leafs was also back at practice today, as reported by David Alter of The Hockey News. The veteran center was seen wearing a regular jersey, signaling a potential impending return to the lineup. O’Reilly has been out of action for the past 14 games due to a finger injury sustained during a game against the Vancouver Canucks on March 4. O’Reilly, 32, had three goals and five points in eight games with Toronto after a mid-season blockbuster trade from the St. Louis Blues and is expected to dress in the bottom six when he does return to the lineup.
  • Montreal Canadiens forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard was seen on the ice wearing a non-contact jersey for practice, according to TVA’s Renaud Lavoie. Harvey-Pinard, who was called up by the Canadiens on January 17, has missed the last two games with an undisclosed injury. The 24-year-old Quebec product has broken out since the callup, recording 14 goals and 19 points in 32 games while receiving top-six minutes.
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