Mitch Marner was linked to the Nashville Predators early this summer, and now former teammate Ryan O’Reilly has seemingly confirmed this major rumour.

This off-season has been a wild one for both the Nashville Predators and the Toronto Maple Leafs, but at one stage, it was believed the two would come together for a deal involving star forward Mitch Marner.

Now, former teammate Ryan O’Reilly has seemingly confirmed those rumours linking Nashville to Marner, with Leafs reporter Nick Kypreos revealing that O’Reilly went to GM Barry Trotz and tried to push him into pursuing Marner.

«Prior to the Predators spending a whack of dough on free agents (Steven) Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei, ex-Leaf Ryan O’Reilly did his very best to convince GM Barry Trotz to make a push and trade for Mitch Marner,» Kypreos said.”

As we know, a deal is now likely off the table after the team added three big names in Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei, but this speaks to the level of respect that Marner has commanded league wide, even if fans highly underrate him.

“He brings so many things. He’s so competitive, but I think just how elusive he is. With the way he can create plays, and just being off balance, and being able to put these pucks in the right areas. Just such a competitor,” O’Reilly told reporters including TSN’s Mark Masters.

“Getting to play with him in the short time I did, it was just so fun. You see the way he sees the game, at such a unique level.”

Unfortunately, it appears the two may not play together again anytime soon, as it seems they had a fantastic connection together in Toronto, but this just goes to show how much Marner is respected that a veteran like O’Reilly would go to his front office and push them to trade for him.