The Detroit Red Wings have certainly had a strong start to the 2025-26 season. They currently have a 9-5-0 record and are second in the Atlantic Division standings. With the Red Wings looking to break their nine-year playoff drought, having a start to the season like this is very encouraging.
With the way the Red Wings are playing, they are setting themselves up to be buyers this season. When looking at their current group, it is clear that they could use another impactful veteran forward with plenty of playoff experience. They also have almost $13 million of cap space to work with.
When looking at the NHL’s top trade candidates right now, Nashville Predators forward Ryan O’Reilly stands out as an excellent potential option for the Red Wings. The Predators are once again struggling this season, and it has led to O’Reilly’s name re-emerging in the rumor mill as of late.
Because of this, we here at Heavy Sports have a trade pitch that would have the Red Wings acquire O’Reilly in a big move.
Red Wings Acquire:
- Ryan O’Reilly
Predators Acquire:
- Jonatan Berggren
- Carter Mazur
- 2026 Second-Round Pick
Ryan O’Reilly Is Back in the Rumor Mill
After a nightmare 2024-25 season, the Predators are having a lot of trouble once again this campaign. They currently have a 5-7-4 record and are sixth in the Central Division. With the Predators once again being among the NHL’s worst teams, questions about O’Reilly’s future in Nashville have been coming back up.
During a recent appearance on Oilers Nation Everyday, NHL insider David Pagnotta shared that O’Reilly’s name is starting to float around the trade market again.
“Ryan O’Reilly, his name is starting to pop up again,” Pagnotta said.
With O’Reilly being a skilled center who produces offense and kills penalties, he is exactly the kind of player that a Red Wings club looking to take that next step should target. This is especially so when noting that the former St. Louis Blues captain could be a fantastic mentor for the club’s younger players.
Why Red Wings Could Land O’Reilly With This Trade Pitch
With O’Reilly still being a solid top-six two-way forward, there is no question that he has good trade value. This is especially so when noting that he has an affordable $4.5 million cap hit until the end of next season.
Due to this, the Predators are not just going to give O’Reilly away in a potential trade. Thus, the Red Wings offering Mazur, Berggren, and a 2026 second-round pick could be enough to get this move done.
With Mazur, the Predators would land a promising prospect who has the tools to blossom into a solid NHL forward. The 23-year-old winger has shown promise in the AHL, and this has been the case this season as well. In five games so far this campaign with the Grand Rapids Griffins, he has recorded four goals and six points.
Berggren would give the Predators a young forward with a good amount of NHL experience. The 25-year-old forward could use a fresh start and could perform well in a more significant role on the Predators. In 10 games this season with the Red Wings, he has recorded two goals and four points.
With the second-round pick, the Predators would also get the chance to improve their prospect pool. When looking at how things have gone for Nashville, adding another second-rounder should intrigue them.
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