Nashville Predators veteran Ryan O’Reilly took responsibility following the team's 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday. Although O’Reilly scored Nashville’s only goal, he was disappointed with his overall performance.
“1 centre, turn the puck over everywhere, can’t make a six-foot pass to save my life. We’re not going to have much success if I’m playing pathetic like that. I’ve had one good year in my career. I don’t have an answer, that’s for sure.”
The 34-year-old forward's self-critique might seem harsh considering his impressive career stats: 309 goals, 834 points in 1,168 games, and a Stanley Cup win in 2019 with the St. Louis Blues. This season, he has recorded six goals and 10 points in 16 games.
O’Reilly was part of the Predators squad that underperformed last season, finishing near the bottom of the Western Conference despite offseason reinforcements. After Thursday's game, he called on himself and other veterans to improve their play.
“The last few games, I’ve been making mistakes left and right. You can’t expect to win like that. There’s frustration everywhere. Guys are working, a lot of guys are working. It falls on leadership and we have to be the ones to get over it.”
Nashville also faced a controversial moment in overtime against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday when a winning goal was allowed after the net came off its moorings.
Ryan O’Reilly openly admits his struggles this season, emphasizing the need for veteran leadership to help turn around the Nashville Predators' disappointing start.