J.P. Barry gave the Maple Leafs a list of trade destinations for Morgan Rielly and with it being in the Western Conference, let's look at a few teams who make sense.
Morgan Rielly's name has been thrown around in trade rumours for a long time now, and it feels like we are finally getting to the end of that journey. It seems more and more likely that he's going to be traded and while it would spell the end for the longest tenured Maple Leaf - it's certainly time.
Rielly's expensive though at $7.5-million for the next few years and with regression already in full swing, it's hard to see where teams will jump on the opportunity. But he's still a solid second-pairing defender who can chip in on the power-play, but can't be a QB1 anymore.
Rielly's agent has given Toronto a list of teams but they aren't exactly set in stone
However, there's still some interest clearly as reports have shown there has been progress in making a potential deal, and a new report courtesy of Pierre LeBrun shows that Rielly and his agent are helping out with the process.
LeBrun revealed that Rielly's agent J.P. Barry has given the Maple Leafs a list of teams his client is willing to go to, and the majority of the teams seems to be in one specific location - the Western Conference:
The 32-year-old has a full no-move clause. His agent, J.P. Barry, gave Leafs management a list of teams that would interest Rielly. My understanding is that most of those teams are all in the Western Conference, but there's also a sense that there could be flexibility as talks evolve.
At least we get a better idea of where Rielly is intending to go, and perhaps he is looking for not only a sunny destination but a place where he has a lot less pressure both on the ice and in front of the media.
With that in mind, let's take a look at three teams who could be the best fit for Rielly.
San Jose is obvious, Anaheim needs a veteran and Winnipeg could be the dark horse
We'll start with the team that has been linked heaviest to Rielly which is San Jose. They need defenceman to fill out their roster first of all, but need a veteran presence who can help mentor the young core, can afford his entire contract, and holds a piece or two that Toronto could use.
If Toronto wants a win-now player then they could target someone like Ty Dellandrea or Barclay Goodrow if the goal is to really dump the money. If they wanna take a bit of money back, then acquiring Tyler Toffoli may be a good option to solidify the top-nine.
San Jose would give Rielly less responsibility but also less attention and any of his shortcomings will be under a much less brighter spotlight. He's spent 13 years dealing with Toronto and he looks like a guy who needs a change of scenery.
Switching gears to another team in California, the Anaheim Ducks are a team who are going to have a very young defensive group without a ton of veteran help. Their oldest would be Jackson Lacombe at 25 years old, and guys like Jacob Trouba, John Carlson, and Radko Gudas aren't coming back.
Rielly would help stabilize the back end and give Anaheim someone who can steady things while the young kids develop. Guys like Olen Zellweger and Pavel Mintyukov will benefit greatly from his wisdom, and much like San Jose - the pressure is a lot less burdensome.
Anaheim also has a ton of cap space, and if they aren't too concerned about parting with a piece like Mason McTavish in order to do so, it could be a great swap though that's a huge ask and depends on if they truly have given up on his potential.
Though, two players who need a change of scenery finding new homes? Sounds like a win-win.
But now we shift gears to the team who you'd probably be scratching your head about: Winnipeg.
The Jets went from President's Trophy to one of the worst teams in the league and only really have Josh Morrisey as a puck distributor. Rielly gives them a secondary option and will be able to have protection alongside Dylan Demelo or Dylan Samberg.
Rielly can certainly help them out in a ton of areas and can afford his entire deal easily. Winnipeg is not California, no, but it is still a Canadian team out West (that's not Vancouver) and Toronto won't need to ask for much in return.
The Jets should part with Morgan Barron and Cole Koepke, as they are easily replaceable and Toronto can use both of them to completely transform their bottom-six and add an incredible amount of physicality, defence and toughness.
Combined they only make $3.3-million so Chayka is getting two solid assets, dumping cap, and making room for other players to come in on the blueline while gaining that ever important financial flexibility.
All three teams have their benefits for both Toronto and Rielly. The Maple Leafs get important assets and cap space, meanwhile Rielly gets a chance to move on to a much more comfortable destination and hopefully rekindle his old form.
It's now just a matter of finding that deal and sealing it with a handshake.
Which team will Morgan Rielly be traded to?
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