Editor In Leaf
Fansided

Toronto Maple Leafs: 3 Hypothetical Morgan Rielly Trades

By Stephen Nixon

TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 21: Morgan Rielly #44 of the Toronto Maple Leafs looks to make a play against Seth Jones #3 of the Columbus Blue Jackets during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on October 21, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jackets defeated the Maple Leafs 4-3 in overtime. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 21: Morgan Rielly #44 of the Toronto Maple Leafs looks to make a play against Seth Jones #3 of the Columbus Blue Jackets during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on October 21, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jackets defeated the Maple Leafs 4-3 in overtime. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 4
Next
Toronto Maple Leafs
TORONTO, ONTARIO – AUGUST 06: Seth Jones #3 of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Jason Spezza #19 of the Toronto Maple Leafs  (Photo by Andre Ringuette/Freestyle Photo/Getty Images) /
  • Toronto Maple Leafs acquire: Seth Jones, Max Domi (50 percent retained)
  • Columbus Blue Jackets acquire: Morgan Rielly, Rasmus Sandin, Adam Brooks and 2022 1st Round Pick

Here’s a fun blockbuster trade for everyone. The Leafs would get their number-one defenseman, while the Columbus Blue Jackets would get a replaceable player to re-sign. Seth Jones said that he wasn’t re-signing in Columbus after his contract is up in 2021-22, so they may as well trade him now to get some assets in return.

Sure, Toronto would be giving up a lot to acquire Jones, but it would be worth it. As we’ve seen over the past few seasons, Jones is one of the best defenseman in the NHL. Rielly is also one of them, but Jones is a better fit in Toronto.

At 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, Jones has intimidating size on the blueline. With similar contracts, it would be great to see Jones in a Leafs uniform, instead of Rielly for one year to see how different it looks.

The one kicker with this trade is the Max Domi acquisition. After getting drafted 12th overall in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, his career has been a rocky-road. Currently on his third team, he hasn’t lived up to the hype that he created in junior hockey.

By getting traded to the team his father (Tie Domi) famously played for it, it could spark him to put up a similar season that he had with Montreal in 2018-19 when he scored 28 goals and had 72 points.

Although he’s a natural centre, he could benefit from playing beside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner instead. That trio could produce a ton of goals and revitalize Domi’s career.

Home/Editorials