This NHL offseason has already started to heat up, and the Toronto Maple Leafs are again in the center of it all. As NHL insider Frank Seravalli released his first Trade Targets board of the summer on Hockey 24/7, number one on that list was long-time Maple Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly.
Since John Chayka took over the reins in Toronto and spoke openly of wanting to revamp the blue line, it felt like Rielly's tenure in Toronto would inevitably become a story. After nearly 1000 games with the franchise, the thought of the Maple Leafs moving on from a veteran who has been there the longest of any player in franchise history does feel very real now.
Morgan Rielly headlines Frank Seravalli’s trade bait board
Rielly is coming off of a tough season. That cannot be stated more clearly. The play of his defensive game was all the talk during his season and with how far the Maple Leafs would eventually fall. Ultimately missing the postseason entirely, his foot speed looked like it was starting to falter at points in the year. In a season where the Maple Leafs finished with only 78 points, pretty much every one of the core pieces was subject to scrutiny.
The contract does not help things at all. The 29-year-old has four years left on the eight-year contract he signed in 2021 for $7.5 million per year. With an eight-year, $7.5 million contract and a full no-move clause, the decision really does come down to Rielly himself. Any potential trade partner has to consider that.
That is where Chayka may have a bit of difficulty. It's one thing to decide a player is not the answer to the Maple Leafs future but it's another when the player also holds all of the cards when it comes to leaving Toronto at all.
There have been a few teams linked to Rielly; the most obvious one would be the San Jose Sharks, who do have a ton of cap space and could use a veteran defensemen like him. Another team that could make sense is the Calgary Flames, who could take his contract and pry an asset or two from the Maple Leafs in doing so.
Rielly is currently in Switzerland playing for Team Canada at the World Hockey Championship, playing for his former Maple Leafs General Manager in Brad Treliving, who spoke out in his defense earlier this week. Treliving noted that there was "lots of game left" and made a point that sometimes a change in circumstances was the best option for all.
If this trade does happen, it’ll likely be around the 2026 NHL Draft, or even before the start of free agency on July 1. Which would allow the Maple Leafs to get a bit more creative and try to improve their roster while utilizing as much cap space as they possibly can.
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