Leafs target Ryan O’Reilly in potential blockbuster trade in Toronto!

When reporting on the possibility of Toronto acquiring help to shore up the Maple Leafs’ depth at center, team insider James Mirtle of the Athletic is not closing the door for a reunion with forward Ryan O’Reilly.

The Nashville Predators had one heck of a summer, signing superstars like Steven Stamkos, Brady Skjei, and Jonathan Marchessault. Despite adding those starts to a roster already featuring the likes of Filip Forsberg, Roman Josi, and Juuse Saros, the Predators have been worse than the Penguins with a 6-11-3 record so far this season.

Trade chatter has therefore emerged in Music City, prompting Mirtle to explain how getting O’Reilly back in Toronto could be feasible. The team insider revealed on Sportsnet’s FAN 590 that while O’Reilly would be hard to get, the front office in Toronto wouldn’t be opposed to acquiring him once again.

“I don’t think that the ROR thing is 100% impossible, the front office still loves him.”

O’Reilly would not only get the chance to reunite with former teammates, but would also be welcomed back by one of his former head coaches in Craig Berube.

The Leafs’ bench boss and the star forward were both members of the St. Louis Blues and hoisted the Stanley Cup together in the 2018-19 season. O’Reilly was also named Conn Smythe winner for his incredible playoff run.

O’Reilly left the Maple Leafs in the summer of 2023 when he signed as a free agent in Nashville.

While a reunion sounds amazing, especially with Mirtle thinking a trade could be realistic, the Maple Leafs would have to to part with significant assets to have the Predators or another team retain salary on O’Reilly.

That could be what puts a stop to this potential transaction…

Other targets have been suggested to the Maple Leafs in Utah Hockey Club’s Nick Bjugstad or even Seattle Kraken’s Yanni Gourde. But fans in Toronto would love a reunion with ROR.