There have been a lot of whispers about Morgan Rielly potentially getting traded soon. The Toronto Maple Leafs are undergoing a big shift, and following the catastrophic 2025-26 season, the franchise will attempt to shake things up this offseason.
Interestingly, while the Leafs might trade Morgan Rielly, the defenseman still wants to stay with the team. Rielly has only played for one team in the NHL, as he has been with Toronto since 2013. Moving forward, he hopes to retain that as he does not want to leave the team that drafted him into the big leagues.
In an exclusive interview with The Athletic, the defenseman explained:
“My desire to stay in Toronto is always going to be there. There’s a number of (reasons), but a big one is loyalty. Loyalty to the team that drafted you, I think that’s a powerful thing.”
The Maple Leafs selected Rielly as the fifth overall choice in the 2012 draft. He is currently on an eight-year contract with the team, with four years still remaining on it.
The contract is for a total of $60 million and gives him a $7.5 million cap hit every year. The most important aspect of the contract is that it includes a no-movement clause, which ensures that Rielly cannot be traded away from the squad without his choice.
It has been reported that the Maple Leafs can speak with Morgan Rielly about perhaps waiving the NMC this offseason. Rielly also mentioned it in the same interview, noting that it is a possibility and that he only needs to mentally prepare for it.
Morgan Rielly Claims to Have Previously Pondered About his NMC Being Waived
In the same interview, Morgan Rielly revealed that, while NMC provided him with the assurance that he would not be traded, he still believed that the team might request a waiver at any time. Rielly remarked that anything can happen in the NHL, and that when a team is led by Brad Treliving (previous general manager), it is hard for every player.
The 32-year-old went on to add:
“This isn’t the first time it’s crossed my mind. You think about that at the end of every year, almost. When I was a young player, I wouldn’t have expected the older guys to be thinking about that, but they were at that time. Different, but still difficult. It’s uncertain for everyone. Especially when you work for a guy like (recently-fired Leafs general manager Brad Treliving) for a few years. It’s hard.”
The Maple Leafs missed the playoffs this season, their first time since 2017. The team has also parted ways with its GM, Brad Treliving, and is looking for new leadership. With so many rumors up in the air, the offseason is surely a big one for them.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football, basketball, hockey, golf, baseball, and more!
