Winnipeg Jets Linked to Former Stanley Cup Champion and Conn Smythe Winner
The Winnipeg Jets are going to be buyers at the deadline, and the Nashville Predators will be sellers, which is the perfect combination for a possible blockbuster.
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 is the man for the Jets
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.
