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Ryan O’Reilly: the Habs are worried about his lack of speed
Félix Forget
Ryan O’Reilly: the Habs are worried about his lack of speed
Credit: Getty Images
The famous question of the second center will be the question of the ballot box this summer for the Canadiens. While everyone agrees that the club needs to solidify its second line, (really) not everyone would do it the same way.

Horvat, Barzal, Bennett, Tavares, Crosby, Rossi and the list goes on: everyone has a favorite.

That said, there’s another name that’s been the talk of the town in recent months: Ryan O’Reilly. With the Predators going nowhere, one wonders if the player and the team might consider parting ways.

And what we understand from Alexandre Gascon(Radio-Canada Sports) is that the Habs have been talking internally about the Preds forward… because they already have a fear about him.

And that fear is his lack of speed.

At 34, it’s obvious that the center has slowed down. Inevitably, with age, the skating stroke isn’t what it once was… but there are still some figures that suggest the Habs’ fear is slightly exaggerated.

The NHL Edge site, which measures certain data on players (including skating stroke), shows that even if O’Reilly isn’t a gazelle, he’s at least an average skater.

No, he’s not a turtle on the ice.

(Credit: Screenshot/NHL Edge)
Of course, it’s possible that the Habs’s standards are simply higher, which would make the Preds ‘ forward really too slow in the Habs’ eyes.

Because it’s true that if you compare O’Reilly to Bo Horvat, who is one of the best skaters in the NHL, the difference is quite striking.

(Credit: Screenshot/NHL Edge)
But of course, beyond the skating, the Habs would have to convince O’Reilly to come and play in Montreal. We know the Predators want to respect the forward’s wishes, and if he doesn’t want anything to do with joining the Habs, his lack of speed will become a secondary concern.

To be continued, then, but it’s interesting to see that the Habs seem to want a second center with an excellent skating stroke. And maybe it gives an idea of the kind of player they might be targeting…


Overtime

– Big day in Vancouver: after signing Adam Foote, Tom Willander signs his entry-level contract.

– A giant-sized Brendan Gallagher: the Habs wouldn’t say no.

– Oops.

– There was talent in town.

– It’s (very) far from a done deal.

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