Morgan Rielly trade talks back on after yet another slow start

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly is constantly being subjected to trade talks, and it appears as though he could be back on the table.

Morgan Rielly has started the Maple Leafs season with three assists in five games and a -2 rating, which is not unlike what we've seen from him in recent seasons.

Throughout the offseason, there was all sorts of speculation that Rielly would be traded by the Leafs. However, nothing materialized as Rielly refused to waive his no-movement clause.

Once again, Rielly is off to a slow start, and he has already been moved off the first defensive pairing with Darren Raddysh. Rielly has a hard time adapting to new partners, and it is hard to ignore.

In new reporting from James Mirtle of The Athletic, it was revealed that the Maple Leafs were interested in Detroit Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson. While Rielly is not part of those talks, Mirtle believes it could be an option if he continues to struggle.

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This is bad news for Rielly, who continues to tell the media that his heart belongs to Toronto and that he wants to stay here until retirement.

Is it time for Rielly to move on?

While it is nice to see a player prove their allegiance to the market, it comes to a point where you have to see the writing on the wall. For three seasons now, Rielly has been the whipping boy when things get tough, yet he wants to stay in Toronto.

By refusing to waive his no-trade clause, he has left the Maple Leafs organization with fewer options, and eventually, the front office is going to get frustrated.

Simon Edvinsson is a young defenseman who the Leafs would love to have on the team. He has tremendous upside, and given where Rielly is in his career, it's a trade-off that would make a ton of sense.

For now, however, Rielly still has all the power. Consequently, the Maple Leafs will have to be patient if they want to move on from him.

If things continue to go downhill for Rielly, then perhaps he will have no choice but to do the thing he's refused to do for the last three seasons.

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