The Toronto Maple Leafs are running out of time to figure this out.
The NHL trade deadline is March 6, a week from Friday. And the Leafs aren’t totally convinced as to whether they are buyers or sellers.
Well, if they’re sellers, keep an eye on the name Morgan Rielly.
Normally, he wouldn’t be a trade candidate. But ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski lists Rielly in a new article on Thursday as a “shocking possibility” with very real merit to be moved.
The first problem with moving Rielly is that he has a full no-movement clause in his contract. It’s not clear whether he’d waive that to facilitate a trade to a Stanley Cup contender.
The second dilemma is that Rielly is still under contract for four more seasons.
“He’s signed through 2029-30 at a $7.5 million AAV. He has 31 points in 54 games, skating 21:34 of ice time per game,” Wyshynski writes. “Could the Leafs decide to reshape their blue line by convincing the 13-year veteran it’s time to move on, as another member of the ‘Core Four’ leaves Toronto?”
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Wyshynski threw a quote from the Leafs’ big boss into his story for good measure:
“As Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment president and CEO Keith Pelley told season-ticket holders on Wednesday in a letter: ‘We will do whatever is needed for this team to make the next step.'”
Rielly, in a vacuum, is still clearly a good enough defenseman for a contender to want him.
Bringing him aboard is committing to a hefty salary for a long time, though. It’s different than a rental. A team has to be all-in on his present and future value.
If that happens, though, Wyshynski seems to think that the Leafs would be open to moving Rielly for the right price. And if they sell of Rielly, expect other moves to follow.
