Through the early part of the 2023 NHL offseason, the Nashville Predators have shown that they aren't messing around. New general manager Barry Trotz has made sweeping changes in his first offseason, resulting in a drastically different-looking roster. Before free agency even begun, Nashville made big moves by trading Ryan Johansen to the Colorado Avalanche and buying out Matt Duchene. Shedding that much salary gave the Predators a ton of cap space to work with, and they took advantage of it. They signed Gustav Nyqusit up front and Luke Schenn on the back end, but the biggest addition was easily in center Ryan O'Reilly.

O'Reilly, 32, began his career in Colorado before joining the Buffalo Sabres via trade. However, his most notable stop came with the St. Louis Blues, where he led the team to its first Stanley Cup and won the Conn Smythe Trophy in his first season there, and eventually earned the captaincy. With his contract expiring, the Blues traded him to the Toronto Maple Leafs at the trade deadline, and he helped them end their 19-year streak without a playoff series win.

Now, Ryan O'Reilly joins a Predators team that just had its eight-year playoff streak snapped, and is looking to get back there quickly. He earned a handsome payday to come to Nashville, signing a four-year deal worth $4.5 million annually.

How did the Predators and O'Reilly do with this deal? Let's break it down and assign each side a grade.

Predators' Grade: B

The Predators are getting an exceptional player in O'Reilly, no one can dispute that. The veteran forward has played nearly 1,000 NHL games, and has scored 702 points in that time. Even more importantly, O'Reilly is one of the best two-way forwards in the game, able to shut down opposing stars and play on the top penalty kill unit. Him being in the Selke Trophy race nearly every year, even winning in 2019, is a testament to his two-way game.

Ryan O'Reilly is a huge addition on the ice, but arguably an even bigger one off of it. The Ontario native has blossomed into a true leader, and makes the players around him much better. For a team in transition like Nashville, O'Reilly's leadership skills will be invaluable.

Therein lies the big catch with this signing, and Nashville's free agency moves in general. Many thought the Predators would enter a retool, and with a new GM and coach, it made sense to do so. Instead, though, the Predators decided to splurge in free agency to try and get back into the playoffs ASAP. If they make it back, though, they aren't a true cup contender even with their additions.

O'Reilly's contract may also cause an issue with the Predators' salary cap situation. Right now it's not a concern, but next year, when the Predators have a ton of free agents, it could become an issue. That's more of an issue with their signings as a whole, though, not just O'Reilly. The price they paid for him is actually more than fair for what he provides.

O'Reilly easily makes the Predators a better team right now, but the long-term outlook is a bit iffy.

Ryan O'Reilly's Grade: B

While O'Reilly earned a nice payday on this deal, it's actually substantially less than his previous contract. That was a seven-year deal signed with the Sabres in 2015, which paid him $7.5 million annually. He is older now, so it makes sense why it's a lesser deal, but it still feels like he could've gotten a bit more.

Additionally, Nashville doesn't seem like the best place to chase a championship for the reasons mentioned previously. Granted, that's probably not a huge deal for O'Reilly as he already has a ring, but still worth mentioning.

In the end, though, O'Reilly believes that Nashville is the place for him, and that's really all that matters.