Ryan O’Reilly Feels Decision to Leave Maple Leafs in Free Agency Due to Spotlight ‘Blown Out Of Proportion’
NASHVILLE – Ryan O’Reilly feels his decision to sign with the Nashville Predators this summer despite strong reported interest from the Toronto Maple Leafs doesn’t tell the whole story.
Getting ready to play against his former team for the first time since helping Maple Leafs advance to the second round of the playoffs for the first time in 19 years, O’Reilly said it will be weird playing against many of his teammates from that 2023 postseason run.
“It’s still disappointing, we would have liked to have a deeper run and get closer but just to be a part of the team it was something special,” O’Reilly said.
Some of the attributes O’Reilly brought to the Leafs were part of why the Maple Leafs reportedly hoped to retain the veteran forward, despite becoming a free agent on July 1. The Ontario native elected to sign a four-year, $18 million deal with the Predators.
On July 17, O’Reilly was a guest on First Up on TSN 1050 with Aaron Korolnek and former O’Reilly teammate Carlo Colaiacovo and Korolnek asked the Predators forward if the ‘spotlight’ was a reason he decided to move on from the Maple Leafs.
“It wasn’t the ultimate decision there. I think so many things come into play, but yeah I think that is a factor as well,” O’Reilly replied. “It is different. It is something I did enjoy for the time there but I just felt it was better to be somewhere else.”
O’Reilly clarified those remarks following his team’s morning meeting before playing against the Leafs
“I think that got a little blown out of proportion,” O’Reilly said. “There were so many things that came into my decision.”
O’Reilly was influenced to go to Nashville by his brother, Cal, who was drafted by the club and spent the better part of his professional hockey career.
But regardless of how of a factor it was, he likes the low-key setting that he doesn’t get in Toronto.
“I do like it here in that sense where you can fly under the radar and I can take my kid to hockey,” O’Reilly said. “Still people know (who I am), but I can be there and engage with him more. It’s something that at this point in my career I think I enjoy that and am able to have with him.
‘But I don’t think it was as big a decision as people thought.”
The Maple Leafs acquired O’Reilly along with Noel Acciari from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for a package that included a first, second and third-round pick as well as prospect Mikhail Abramov and forward Adam Gaudette.
The 32-year-old O’Reilly had three goals and six assists in 11 playoff games with Toronto. He has two goals and two assists in seven games with Nashville this season.