The Vancouver Canucks haven’t had the kind of start they were hoping for this season. Sitting at an 8-9-1 record, they’re sixth in the Pacific Division after back-to-back losses. A 5-3 defeat to the Jets on Tuesday, and a 5-4 overtime loss to the Avalanche on Sunday.
The Canucks have been searching for a second-line center since J.T. Miller was traded to the New York Rangers. Despite exploring multiple options in the offseason, they couldn’t land the right fit. And now, one of their top $18 million trade targets has reportedly turned them down.
Which $18 Million NHL Star Turned Down a Move to the Vancouver Canucks?
Speaking on the Sekeres and Price podcast, NHL insider Cam Robinson revealed that Nashville Predators forward Ryan O’Reilly was among the players Vancouver had interest in. He is currently in the third year of his four-year, $18 million contract.
“It’s Vancouver still looking for a center. You know, that seems to just be the common theme, I had somebody reach out to me last night and mentioned that unsurprisingly they were poking around Ryan O’Reilly,” Robinson said.
With Nashville struggling at the bottom of the Central Division, O’Reilly’s name surfaced as a potential trade option. However, Robinson reported that O’Reilly wasn’t too keen on the idea of joining Vancouver. “From what I was told, he’s not super interested in Vancouver,” Robinson said.
While he doesn’t have a no-move clause, the Predators have reportedly been treating his input with respect when considering trade options. “I think he’s looking, if he is going to move to jump to a very legitimate contender, he wants to go somewhere that gives him the best shot to win,” Robinson added. “And, you know, to hard to argue with at this point, the Vancouver would be considered a legitimate cup contender.”
Recently, O’Reilly went viral for a brutally honest postgame rant, taking the blame for Nashville’s struggles and calling his own play “pathetic.” He admitted he was turning pucks over and failing to execute, saying, “If I’m playing pathetic like that… “It’s stupid. I’ve had one good year in my career. I don’t have an answer, that’s for sure.”
With O’Reilly off the table, the Canucks are back to square one in their search for a reliable second-line center, and it remains to be seen what direction they’ll take. Up next, they’ll look to bounce back when they take on the Carolina Hurricanes on the road this Friday.
