This Canadiens trade target is not expected to be open to a move to Montreal.
The Montreal Canadiens should be looking to add another impactful center ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline. Due to this, one player who has naturally been viewed as a potential fit for the Canadiens is Nashville Predators center Ryan O'Reilly.
There is no question that O'Reilly would be a strong addition to the Canadiens' top six if acquired. The 35-year-old forward is in the middle of a very good season with the Predators, as he has 20 goals, 36 assists, 56 points, and a plus-8 rating. He is also a well-known leader, so he would be a good mentor for the club's younger players as well.
However, based on a new report, the chances of the Canadiens landing O'Reilly might not be so great.
In his latest trade board for Sportsnet, Nick Kypreos reported that O'Reilly's preference is to play for a "quieter" market and that it's likely the veteran forward would not want to be traded to Montreal because of it.
"Montreal has also been connected to him, but he wants to go somewhere quieter, so it's unlikely he'd green-light a move there. And although O'Reilly doesn't have any trade protection, the Predators are still trying to work with him on a landing spot," Kypreos wrote.
With O'Reilly not wanting to play in a big market, the Canadiens may not be the best fit for him personally. Furthermore, one of the main reasons why O'Reilly ended up not re-signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2023 NHL off-season was because of their media spotlight. Being traded to Montreal would put him in a similar situation.
Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see what moves the Canadiens end up making ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline, but O'Reilly might not be an option for them.