The Maple Leafs hold one trade chip that could finally get a Rielly deal done

If Morgan Rielly is going to get traded, then it may be in Toronto's best interest to package their 2027 first along with it to find themselves his replacement.

The Morgan Rielly saga looks like it has no definitive solution. First we thought he was going to get traded but that was later debunked when the team couldn't find a deal for him. Now we hear he's likely to be on the move, but with the San Jose Sharks acquiring Darnell Nurse, it knocks off a prime destination.

There are some other teams who may be able to swing a deal for Rielly but those who were in the mix are also dealing with contract issues and it's getting a lot more difficult for John Chayka to find a trade partner which may lead him to start getting a little bit more creative.

But how so? Toronto's been pretty good at keeping their assets in the cupboard though if they were to look to find Rielly's replacement - or even a deal for him in the first place, then they may need to deal one of their most valuable albeit movable assets.

Toronto's 2027 1st from Colorado is a valuable asset yet also the most movable

Toronto's first-round pick they got from Colorado in Nic Roy deal is expected to be a fairly late one unless Colorado falls off a cliff, and right now if there's any asset the team can move it's that one considering they are in win-now mode, and it could be used to help improve the lineup.

It's still a fairly valuable pick all things considered and there's no real reason for Toronto to use that pick if they are already stable up front, have their goaltending figured out and are using that pick to improve on Rielly. Toronto won't be picking until late anyways so, if you can improve to compete now, why wouldn't you?

Toronto has never been shy about trading their first round picks, just look at the Scott Laughton and Brandon Carlo deals. But compared to those deals, Toronto is a lot more competitive and better balanced now and are only missing a piece or two in order to compete.

If so, then this may be the only time when trading a first is worth it.

The real use however is making Morgan Rielly's money vanish

But the real usage of that draft pick isn't just to get someone better, but it's to actually give someone an incentive to take Rielly. Yes, we heard reports the Maple Leafs won't add a sweetener to a Rielly deal, but if you're that dead set on getting rid of him, then why wouldn't you make it easier?

Rielly is only going to get older and look worse if he keeps regressing, and Toronto isn't going to be able to keep him in the lineup regardless of spot if he continues to be a detriment to the team.

If you're able to convince a team to take on Rielly and his $7.5-million by adding in a sweetener then you can either a) find a replacement from that team or b) use that extra capital to trade for someone else and take on their deal albeit getting much better overall.

But your main focus is getting off that deal regardless of who you bring in. Even if someone comes in at a higher AAV, if it's only for a year or two then it fits with the win-now window and the team isn't committing to someone into their late 30s.

It's not going to be easy, and the Maple Leafs want to get Rielly traded without having to convince a team otherwise, but if you're John Chayka and wanting to win as badly as you do - then sweetening the pot is going to be the only way to do it.

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