Insider Says Maple Leafs Top Defenseman “Softening” On Earlier Trade Stance

According to Chris Johnston of The Athletic, Morgan Rielly may be reconsidering his stance on never being traded by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Previously believed to be a player who would shoot down any notion of him leaving Toronto, that may no longer be the case, reports the NHL insider.

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Johnston wrote in a recent column:

“With a new management group running the front office and a new coaching staff soon to be hired, this is a time of change in Toronto. That means the writing is on the wall for Rielly, the Leafs’ longest-tenured player, who has previously been unwilling to consider waiving his no-movement clause but has since softened on that stance.”

Johnston adds that Rielly still obviously controls his fate and has the contractual leverage to dictate what any move might look like, but “a fresh start is looking increasingly likely.”

The question will be, how many teams are looking at Rielly and seeing him as the right fit?

Johnston added, “While Rielly’s skating isn’t the separator it once was, he possesses strong puck skills and can help drive a team offensively.” He took over as the quarterback on the power play for Team Canada when Evan Bouchard went down after a nasty head hit, and Rielly still has that ability. “He’s also a high-character player who should be viewed as a dressing room asset,” writes Johnston.

However, his contract has four seasons remaining at a cap hit of $7.5 million. Some might see that as a value deal given the rising salary cap. Others might not, given that he’s not known as a two-way defender and there remain questions about his defensive reliability. Johnston doesn’t go into detail about which teams might be open to the idea, but it’s assumed a handful of teams will check in on this unfolding situation.

The Maple Leafs will be making changes. Whether Rielly is among them remains to be seen. But the fact that he might be open to a move changes the conversation. Previously, this was all speculation and really a non-starter. Now, it feels like a real possibility.

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