Today on the Locked On Predators Podcast we discussed the highs and lows of the past week for the Nashville Predators, and the biggest story has been the play of Ryan O'Reilly. In the first eleven games of the season, O'Reilly has scored seven goals and eleven points making his Nashville's top goal scorer and second in points behind line mate Filip Forsberg. O'Reilly scored a hat trick in Saturday's win over the Edmonton Oilers in a four point performance and celebrated his 1000th career NHL game Tuesday in Nashville's loss to Vancouver.
When Barry Trotz took over as GM for the Predators, one of his first moves was to sign the 32-year-old veteran to a four-year, $18 million contract. For a team that was clear about kicking off a rebuild focused on developing young talent, it was a move that raised some eyebrows across the league and among the Predators fan base.
When asked back on July 1 what areas of the game O'Reilly can affect, Barry Trotz replied with a rhetorical, "What area does he not affect?"
"He has an effect in the offensive zone. He has an effect in the defensive zone. He has an effect in the face-off circle. He has an effect in late game situations, offensively and defensively," Trotz continued.
Trotz went on to outline more of O'Reilly's skill set including his commitment to doing little things on the ice for the win, playing a fast game, and being the first guy on the ice and last guy off the ice every day.O'Reilly has proved to be a difference maker on and off the ice so far for the Predators. Not only is he contributing offensively but he is showing off his two way game with smart defensive plays, helping set a winning mindset in the locker room, and making players around him better.
The benefits to having Ryan O'Reilly on this team will likely extend far beyond this season. With the veteran playing top minutes — he averages 20:17 in these first eleven games — he is allowing younger players to continue their development without the added pressure of carrying the team. The development of players like Juuso Pärssinen, Tommy Novak, Luke Evangelista, and a healthy Cody Glass can continue on a slightly smoother trajectory with O'Reilly helping to lead the team.
Sometimes a General Manager may have to oversell a signing to get a fan base on board, but so far this season Ryan O'Reilly has proven to be exactly who Barry Trotz said he was.
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