'I Can't Make A Six-Foot Pass To Save My Life': Was Predators' O'Reilly Too Harsh On Himself?

Ryan O'Reilly offered a sharp self-assessment after the Nashville Predators suffered their tenth loss in thirteen games. The team fell 3–1 to the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night, continuing a difficult stretch early in the season.

Few within the Predators organization have been as openly frustrated as O’Reilly. Following the game at Bridgestone Arena, the veteran center was candid about his performance and expressed disappointment in his play.

“I can’t make a six-foot pass to save my life. You’re not going to have much success if I’m playing pathetic like that. I’ve had one good year in my career,” said O’Reilly.

Despite his self-criticism, O’Reilly’s stats from the matchup painted a more balanced picture. He scored Nashville’s only goal of the night, opening the scoring after a fortunate bounce. Data from NHL.com confirmed he recorded no giveaways, four shots on goal, one blocked shot, one takeaway, and won 56.3 percent of his faceoffs.

Statistical Overview

1 goal (Nashville’s only goal)
0 giveaways
4 shots on goal
1 blocked shot
1 takeaway
56.3% faceoff win rate

Author’s Summary

O’Reilly’s fierce self-critique after the Predators’ latest loss showed his frustration, though his solid numbers suggested his performance wasn’t nearly as poor as he believed.

The Hockey News — 2025-11-07