Appearing at Hockey Night in Brampton on Aug. 19, Morgan Rielly will get the first chance to give his feelings on the trade talks since submitting a four-team trade list.
In a night centred around charity, Hockey Night in Brampton is a night full of fun, excitement and good old fashioned hockey all supporting the creation of a second hospital in the city. Last year's event saw Team Matthews take on Team Tanev - who skated away with a 10-9 victory.
Running it back again this year, the event takes place on August 19 from the CAA Centre in Brampton, Ontario with tickets priced at $36 each. Expected to bring another group of NHL stars, the Maple Leafs are once again going to be well represented.
The City of Brampton announced that Maple Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly will be captaining one of the teams - and will also be joined by former teammate Kris Versteeg, and Columbus defender Erik Gudbranson.
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Other names expected to appear include Paul Coffey, Joe Kocur, Ryan Getzlaf, Cody Hodgson, Dylan Strome, and Owen Power.
But it will also be the first time that Rielly is able to be out in a much more public setting surrounded by fans. Speaking from experience being there last year, the media is in full swing and they are more than likely going to want to get Rielly's thoughts if they're permitted - though there is no formal media call.
No doubt in the middle of those questions will be his feelings on the constant trade rumours that keep coming up. He submitted that four-team trade list, and John Chayka was exploring deals but didn't expect anything imminently and Toronto is expecting him to start the season with them.
This is Rielly's chance to set the record straight himself. This is an opportunity for him to be honest and confirm not only the trade list but if those are still preferred destinations or his he's opened up his options.
He's been here 13 years and has no reason to lie about his future, and his transparency will go a long way with fans.
If he brushes it off though and focuses on the season ahead, then we can safely assume that any trade talk has subsided for now and that he expects to be a part of things going forward, and there may also be questions about where he now fits in the lineup with the addition of Darren Raddysh.
It's not a formal press conference, but speaking from experience - there will be journalists and reporters waiting to get answers so Rielly has to be prepared to give them.
What Rielly says about Toronto may matter more than just his trade rumours
While you have to take Rielly at his word, it's his words that you have yo pay attention to. If he starts speaking as if he's thankful for his time, or that he's unsure what the future holds then you can think that a trade could happen.
But again, if he's praising Toronto's moves and excited to work with Hiller and get himself back on track then we can safely assume he's not wanting to go anywhere (he holds a full NMC).
It would also be telling of Rielly if he was transparent about his last two seasons and explained his decline in production, and even if there's no pinpointed reason - admitting he wasn't playing as expected would ease some fans' anxiety about him sticking around.
It's less about what Rielly thinks about things and more about how he responds to them. If there's hesitancy in his statements or specific wording used - that's more telling than just simply saying 'Yes, there were talks.'
Rielly's comments don't guarantee a trade or not, nor do they reveal if one is close. He still holds all the cards, and Toronto still needs to find a deal that works for both parties. August 19 will be the first time he may be pressed about his preferred trade destinations - but that doesn't mean he's going anywhere.
Do you think Morgan Rielly will address his trad rumours at Hockey Night in Brampton?
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