Canadiens Should Target Predators’ Center

Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes’ eyes must be like toonies watching Team Canada’s center core power them past opponents. 

Nick Suzuki and the Canadiens’ cast of centers came up short in their first-round Stanley Cup playoff matchup against the regular-season juggernaut Washington Capitals.

It isn’t meant to discredit the teams’ center situation, but after Suzuki, there is a gaping hole down the middle on the second line. Hughes is aware he must correct that, but with a specific player. 

Whoever he acquires will be slotted between two of the organization's more intriguing wingers — Ivan Demidov and Patrik Laine. If you can sort of picture how the two play, it paints a picture of the style of center that will best suit them.

Hughes would extract the most value by acquiring a center who is strong in the faceoff dot and has penalty-killing attributes. A suitable option would also be able to support on the forecheck and be a play connector.

Fortunately for Hughes, Team Canada had put on a clinic at the World Championship early on thanks to their tremendous depth down the middle. 

A player that has put himself into Hughes’ view is Ryan O’Reilly of the Nashville Predators, and the resumé speaks for itself. O’Reilly won the Stanley Cup and the Conn Smythe Trophy with the St. Louis Blues in 2019. He named captain in 2020, and stayed with the Blues until 2023, when he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He took on a leadership role with the Leafs for one uniquely successful season before heading to the Predators.

For Canada, he is doing all of the things that help his team win, so not much has changed, and the 34-year-old has plenty of gas left in the tank. 

In the trenches, deep into the Stanley Cup playoffs the importance of having two centers that can impact the game at both ends of the ice and defend the opponents top players is crucial. 

O’Reilly is also a left-shot who kills penalties and has the grit and experience to mentor Demidov and cover up Laine’s defensive deficiencies, while contributing offensively.