Chicago Blackhawks
Insider Links 3 Western Conference Teams to Offseason Morgan Rielly Trade
An insider has linked three Western Conference teams as suitors for Morgan Rielly this offseason.
Everyone, including Morgan Rielly himself, knows that the odds of him being traded away from the Toronto Maple Leafs this summer are as high as they’ve ever been. The longest-tenured Maple Leaf has been in the rumor mill for a few years now, but a disastrous 2025–26 season for both him and the team means those rumors might actually turn into a move in the coming months.
Landing spots that can not only acquire the former All-Star defenseman, but that he would also waive to go to, aren’t easy to find. That being said, according to a recent report from insider David Pagnotta, there are three Western Conference teams already circling the situation: the San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks, and Seattle Kraken.
“Rielly has four more seasons remaining on his contract after this one and comes with a $7.5 million salary cap hit. Teams like the San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks and Seattle Kraken have been rumoured to have interest in him, should the Leafs look to move him… In fact, as TFP’s David Pagnotta has reported, the Leafs spoke to at least one team about the possibility of trading Rielly prior to the deadline, under then-GM Brad Treliving,”
The 32-year-old Rielly just finished the fourth year of the eight-year, $60 million extension he signed with the Maple Leafs back in 2021, which includes a full no-movement clause through 2027–28. He had a difficult 2025–26 season, posting 36 points (11 goals, 25 assists) while sporting a -18 rating in 78 games played.
Morgan Rielly to San Jose, Chicago, or Seattle?
San Jose has been connected the most to Rielly, given their abundance of cap space and need for a veteran defenseman. Chicago is in a very similar spot and would also make sense as a potential destination.
Seattle, on the other hand, while equipped with the cap space to handle Rielly’s $7.5 million, is already paying four defensemen $4.5 million or more. That said, with Vince Dunn set to enter a contract year, they could be looking for some insurance on the left side.
Other suitors may emerge around the league, but for now, it certainly feels like the rebuilding teams out West are those to keep an eye on if Rielly is, in fact, dealt this summer.
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