Ryan O'Reilly doesn't see his Nashville Predators taking another step backward next season.
"I think, as a group, we have great leadership," O'Reilly told reporters Thursday. "We have great young pieces. Why can't we contend? Why can't we? It's a long year, but it's (about) preparing in the summer and doing things the right way. Then, we get into camp and we start to build a foundation and keep adding to it."
The Predators signed the veteran center - who was an unrestricted free agent - to a four-year contract carrying an average annual value of $4.5 million on July 1. O'Reilly looks forward to joining a club he found difficult to match up with throughout his career.
"This team, over the years of playing against them, it is a tough team to play against," he said. "That's something I want to add on top of. I want to be difficult for whoever we're playing against and build it from there."
O'Reilly served as the Blues' captain for the last three campaigns - until they traded him to the Toronto Maple Leafs as part of a three-team swap in February. The Ontario-born pivot produced four goals and seven assists in 13 regular-season games with the Leafs before adding three tallies and six helpers in 11 playoff contests.
The 32-year-old spent four-plus campaigns with the Blues, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2019 as he led St. Louis to its first Stanley Cup championship. He also won the Selke Trophy that season as the NHL's top defensive forward.
O'Reilly, who's long been one of the game's most reliable two-way players, joins a franchise that's at a crossroads. The Predators still boast the likes of superstar blue-liner Roman Josi, all-world goaltender Juuse Saros, and potent playmaker Filip Forsberg. But they missed the playoffs last season, haven't advanced to the second round since 2017-18, and haven't gotten beyond that stage since reaching the Cup Final one campaign prior.
Barry Trotz is now Nashville's general manager, taking over for the retired David Poile. The Preds also have a new man behind the bench, as Trotz hired ex-Florida Panthers head coach Andrew Brunette to replace John Hynes.
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