Devils Walked Away From O’Reilly Deal After Predators Set Steep Price

The New Jersey Devils backed out of talks for center Ryan O'Reilly when Nashville's demands proved too costly before the March 7 cutoff.

"The Devils were pursuing Ryan O'Reilly, and they did not want to pay a premium to get him," a source told HickeyFeed.com. "So saying the team came in second was a way to save face for not utilizing the cap space at the deadline."

The Predators wanted three big pieces: Simon Nemec on defense, forward Dawson Mercer, plus a first-round pick. O'Reilly stayed put in Nashville, despite having no power to block trades.

This happened during a tough stretch when injuries struck the Devils hard. Missing stars Jack Hughes and Luke Hughes, plus Brenden Dillon's time out, crushed their playoff chances. The timing couldn't have been worse.

Adding O'Reilly, a proven playoff MVP, would have boosted the Devils' faceoff stats and brought much-needed playoff wisdom. The team saw him as a missing piece for their Cup run.

Nashville stuck to their guns, asking as much as they did for star goalie Juuse Saros. With playoff hopes fading fast, Devils management wouldn't bite at such a steep cost.

Tom Fitzgerald's deadline moves point to big changes ahead. The team might swap young talent for proven scorers this summer, aiming to build a stronger squad.

The Devils plan to keep their stars healthy while making smart pickups to compete next year. It's a tricky balance between growth and going all-in.

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