Kevin Cheveldayoff made it clear last week that trade talks remain in their infancy. The question now is: who could best replace Paul Stastny's impact during Winnipeg's deepest playoff run?
Ryan O'Reilly might be the closest match. At 33, the Predators' center comes with a $4.5-million cap hit and is signed until 2027.
He logs time with Nashville's second line at five-on-five, mans the first-unit power play, and sees some time on the third-unit penalty kill.
At 14 goals and 15 assists in 48 games, he's scoring at a 50-point pace, essentially the same as Paul Stastny's 52-point pace in 2018. He and Stastny have also shared very strong faceoff results and an elite two-way game.
This could make Winnipeg a factor, directly, in the potential availability of O'Reilly.
The Jets play the Predators on Feb. 27, and a win against them could further crater Nashville's playoff hopes, much like their victory over St. Louis they did before acquiring Stastny in 2018.
O'Reilly is a little bit older than Stastny was at the time of his trade, turning 34 soon, but still boasts top-line impact.
He helps the Predators outchance opponents even in tough matchups and his 2.0 points per 60 minutes at five-on-five ranks third among Jets scorers behind Nikolaj Ehlers and Kyle Connor.
His powerplay production has fallen off a cliff, but he is still a capable scorer. Unlike anyone on Winnipeg's roster, O'Reilly has a Stanley Cup in his pocket along with a Conn Smythe.
With two more years on the deal, he is a good asset, be it whether Nashville retains him or Winnipeg makes a move to acquire him.
POLL | ||
FEVRIER 3 | 188 ANSWERS Winnipeg Jets Linked to Former Stanley Cup Champion and Conn Smythe Winner Should the Jets attempt to trade for Ryan O'Reilly? | ||
Yes | 118 | 62.8 % |
No | 70 | 37.2 % |
List of polls |