For all the talk about the Toronto Maple Leafs giving Morgan Rielly the heave-ho, there doesn’t seem to be any real desire to do that.
According to insider Chris Johnston, the idea of trading Rielly wasn’t really about wanting to get rid of him. It was more about getting something in return that would make sense for the organization. But since that wasn’t the case, the organization feels much better about keeping its longest-tenured player.
“The Leafs never got anything that made sense for them; this wasn't a case ever of management not seeing value in him or thinking you had to get rid of him, that he was a problem.”
Now, reading between the lines, the comments suggest that the Maple Leafs would be amenable to moving Rielly, provided they got an offer that made sense. If they don’t, well, Rielly stays put.
As to what it would take to move Morgan Rielly, that’s another story. We can only speculate as to what John Chayka has in mind.
Be that as it may, it doesn’t seem like the Maple Leafs will be moving Rielly anytime soon. And that has to be a good thing. With early training camp looks suggesting that the veteran blueliner might have a bit of a different role, you have to think that situation would bode well for him and the team as a whole.
Could Maple Leafs still trade Rielly this season?
It wouldn’t completely write off a Rielly trade. While it doesn’t seem like there’s an appetite for that move now, things can change.
I’m thinking about a team that might suffer a devastating injury and would look to fill a gap. Such a situation might lead a GM to panic and overpay for a guy like Rielly. That scenario may seem far-fetched, but it’s happened before.
Again, the entire possibility of trading for Rielly is a matter of someone out there willing to pay whatever Chayka wants. And since neither Chayka nor Rielly has a desire for a move, nothing has to change.
Circumstances can certainly turn on a dime. There’s no question about that. Another disastrous season by Toronto may lead to a teardown of the team. At that point, the Maple Leafs may look to cut their losses and sell veterans like Rielly at whatever price they can.
It’s like, when times get tough, you don’t sell what you want; you sell what you can. That may be the case with Rielly.
As it stands now, that does not seem to be the case. But again, we’ll have to wait and see what happens on the ice. The first two preseason games should say a lot about where this team could go in 2026-27.
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