Since the hiring of John Chayka as general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, there has been rampant speculation regarding the future of captain Auston Matthews with the franchise.
The Maple Leafs missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2016, which, coincidently, was the same year they also won the NHL Draft Lottery and the rights to select Matthews with the first overall pick. They’ll also pick first overall later this month.
But while most of the speculation surrounding the Maple Leafs is about Matthews’ future with the club, another longtime Maple Leafs veteran has found himself embroiled in trade rumors, which could all come to a head before long according to recent reports.
Toronto Maple Leafs Defenseman Morgan Rielly Could Find Out His Fate Soon
According to NHL Insider Chris Johnston, the Maple Leafs could very well move on from Rielly, whom they selected in the first round of the 2012 NHL Draft.
“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. He still controls the process because of that mechanism in his contract, but a fresh start is looking increasingly likely,” Johnston writes.
Johnston then said that while Rielly’s skills aren’t quite what they once were earlier in his career, there shouldn’t be any problem with attracting interest from other NHL clubs.
“While Rielly’s skating isn’t the separator it once was, he possesses strong puck skills and can help drive a team offensively,” Johnston writes. “He’s also a high-character player who should be viewed as a dressing room asset.”
Rielly is still under contract through 2030 with a considerable salary cap hit of $7.5 million, a portion of which the Leafs would likely have to retain in a potential deal.
Morgan Rielly Made It Clear He Wants To Stay With Maple Leafs
Despite falling short in considerable fashion this past season, Rielly made it clear that he has no desire to leave the club that selected him in opening round of the 2012 NHL Draft.
“My desire to stay in Toronto is always going to be there,” Rielly said in April regarding his future with the only NHL team he’s ever played for. “There’s a number of (reasons), but a big one is loyalty. Loyalty to the team that drafted you, I think that’s a powerful thing.”
He said that while he’d not been approached by Leafs management about waiving his no-movement clause, it’s something that’s crossed his mind.
“This isn’t the first time it’s crossed my mind,” Rielly said. “You think about that at the end of every year, almost.”
“When I was a young player, I wouldn’t have expected the older guys to be thinking about that, but they were at that time,” he said.
This past season, Rielly scored 11 goals with 25 assists for the Maple Leafs.
Speculation Intensifies On Morgan Rielly’s Future With Maple Leafs