Predators GM Reveals the Availability of Potential Oilers Trade Target

The Nashville Predators’ 2025–26 season has been littered with ups and downs, which has made them very difficult to get a read on.

An awful first month had them looking like clear sellers, with GM Barry Trotz seemingly ready to blow up the roster. Since then, they’ve righted the ship and re-entered the playoff hunt, sitting just three points back of the LA Kings for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference. While that might lead some to believe Nashville won’t be selling off key pieces in the coming weeks, Trotz’s recent comments suggest he remains willing to move anyone — including the highly coveted Ryan O’Reilly.

---

When asked specifically whether trading the veteran center had been taken off the table due to the team’s improved play, Trotz reaffirmed that everything is still in play and that he’ll listen to offers for O’Reilly.

Trotz said:

“No, I think everything has to be on the table. As I said, I have not had any conversations with Ryan on his situation. I have to listen to all offers. If there’s an offer that blows my mind a bit, then I have to listen. But at the same time, we’re not in the playoffs. And that’s the bottom line. As I said early in the year, nothing’s off the table, and it shouldn’t be,”

The 34-year-old O’Reilly is in year three of the four-year, $18 million contract he signed to join the Predators as a UFA in 2023. He’s having an extremely productive season, with 51 points (18 goals, 33 assists) produced across 54 games played.

Can the Oilers Provide Trotz with That Offer for Ryan O’Reilly?

Now that we know O’Reilly can be had if Trotz and company are blown away by a return package, is GM Stan Bowman equipped to do so? There’s no doubt it would be a difficult move to pull off, but it would represent a major splash and upgrade for an Oilers team in search of a true top-nine forward.

A future first-round pick and one of Edmonton’s better prospects would likely be the asking price — or at least the starting point. While Bowman doesn’t have his first-round pick in 2026, he does own firsts in each of the next three drafts, along with a handful of second-rounders, which could make him more comfortable moving another first for an impact player like O’Reilly, who notably has another year of term on his contract beyond this season, something Bowman has been known to covet.

Andrew Mangiapane’s $3.6 million cap hit would need to be moved — either to Nashville or in a separate deal — to make the money work, though that shouldn’t be a major obstacle, and the assumption has been that it will get done for weeks now.

The Oilers may not be able to win a bidding war for O’Reilly, but Trotz and the Predators have long treated the former Conn Smythe Trophy winner as though he has a full no-movement clause, only entertaining destinations he’d be willing to go to. Because of that, if the opportunity to chase a Stanley Cup in Edmonton is presented and intrigues him, Bowman and company could have real leverage to get something done.

Next: Tristan Jarry Calls on Oilers to Be Better in Front of Him