NHL Insider Pours Cold Water on Potential Reunion Between Leafs and Stanley Cup Champion
The Maple Leafs had previously expressed a reported interest in bringing Ryan O'Reilly back to Toronto, but Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman has some bad news for Leafs fans who were hoping to see O'Reilly reunited with Craig Berube.
It's no secret that Ryan O'Reilly and Craig Berube have chemistry as a player and coach, having won a Stanley Cup together in St. Louis in 2019.
Recently, Berube told the media in Toronto that the Leafs remind him of that 2019 Blues team that overcame adversity to win the Cup. Adding O'Reilly to that mix would only improve the Leafs' chances -- and there's some additional familiarity there as well, with O'Reilly having recently played in Toronto himself.
Unfortunately, amid reports that the Leafs may be interested in bringing O'Reilly back at the trade deadline, it would appear as though it's just not going to happen.
Last night, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman addressed the rumours surrounding Ryan O'Reilly during the Saturday Headlines segment on Hockey Night in Canada. It's not good news for the Leafs.
Friedman revealed during the segment that while O'Reilly doesn't have any trade protection built into his contract, the Predators are treating him as though he has a fill no movement clause.
What this essentially means is that the Predators will not approach O'Reilly about a move at any point, unless a trade offer comes through that is too good to turn down. Then, and only then, will they bring the offer to O'Reilly and ask for his permission to accept the deal, per Friedman.
At this point, even with the Predators likely to miss the playoffs, Friedman has confirmed that O'Reilly has not given the team any indication that he's considering any sort of a move.
For all intents and purposes, it would appear as though O'Reilly is staying put in Nashville, which means that the Maple Leafs will have to look elsewhere to find a center.
