The Maple Leafs are preparing to pay the price to move on from Morgan Rielly
Photo credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images
The Toronto Maple Leafs may finally be preparing for the end of Morgan Rielly this offseason.
The Leafs longest tenured player, Rielly has appeared in 946 games played as a Toronto Maple Leaf across his entire 13-year career in the NHL.
According to a report from Nick Kypreos, the Leafs are looking at ways in which they could deal Rielly, a move that could create a challenge for Toronto.
Rielly, who is signed until 2030 at $7.5M annually, is a contract that may take some work on Toronto's end if it's a deal the team wishes to shed.
The Nick Kypreos report and why the Maple Leafs might pay to move Morgan Rielly
The Toronto Maple Leafs may not get out of Morgan Rielly's contract so easy, and they may need to pay to move on from hi this offseason.
Rielly, 32, has 10 goals, 25 assists, & 35 points this season for Toronto, but over the last two seasons has seen his consistency drop off, while just holding on to the status as Toronto's #1.
The Leafs haven't found a potential Rielly replacement to be the leader of their power play, and someone who can drive the offense, and doing so could prove as hard as moving Rielly.
Rielly's trade value is believed to be little, which could cause Toronto to either retain money or find another way to sweeten a deal that makes Rielly a trade chip.
For a Leafs team on the retool, Morgan Rielly could be the first step into rebuilding the Leafs squad quickly as a playoff contender.
Morgan Rielly and the legacy of a Maple Leafs veteran who gave everything to Toronto
If this offseason is the end of Morgan Rielly's time as a Toronto Maple Leaf, he will be remembered for one of the strongest primes by a Leafs defenseman.
Rielly is currently second all time in points by a defenseman in Leafs history with 548, second behind Hall of Famer Borje Salming. Rielly has 97 career goals and 451 assists.
Having quickly taken over as the Leafs #1 defenseman role following the midway and end points of the Dion Phaneuf era, taking on the role as the Leafs top defenseman for over a decade.
Rielly was also the Leafs power play leader in a time of offensive rejuvenation for the Leafs with the emergence of the "core-four" era, all while being the quiet leader defensively behind a high-profile offense.
Surely to be remembered as one of the Leafs greatest defensemen, Morgan Rielly's end to his career won't be remembered for it coming at the end of a disappointing final season, but a dominant career as one of his generation's best offensive defenders.
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