The Toronto Maple Leafs have endured an up-and-down season, currently sitting third-last in the Atlantic Division with a 24-16-8 record. They’ve dropped two of their last three games, and with the playoff race tightening, frustrations around the team continue to grow.
Amid that uncertainty, a former Maple Leafs enforcer didn’t hold back when sharing his thoughts on a $60 million defenseman.
Ex-Leafs Enforcer Blasts $60M Defenseman
Former Toronto enforcer Jay Rosehill, who played three seasons with the Leafs, didn’t hold back when discussing defenseman Morgan Rielly. Now in the fourth year of his eight-year, $60 million deal, Rielly’s performance has sparked mixed reactions this season.
Although he has chipped in offensively, Rielly’s defensive play has drawn criticism. He sits at a minus-14 despite recording 29 points in 47 games, with two especially tough nights coming in minus-4 performances against Utah on Jan. 13 and the Islanders on Jan. 3.
Rosehill summed up his frustration in a post on X, saying, “If any other D man was playing like Rielly they wouldn’t be on the team anymore.”
That comment sparked pushback from a fan who defended Rielly. He argued that he has played well and isn’t going anywhere. Rosehill quickly fired back, saying, “He has not been even remotely good or I would never have said this.”
The exchange continued, with the fan insisting Rielly would be just fine, but Rosehill clearly wasn’t backing down.
Rielly’s uneven play has naturally sparked trade chatter, but moving him would be anything but easy. He holds a full no-movement clause through the 2027–28 season, which then shifts to a 10-team no-trade clause over the final two years of his contract.
Last month, NHL insider David Pagnotta suggested that while Rielly ultimately controls his future, his situation has at least been discussed behind closed doors if the Leafs decide to be aggressive. “He has a full no movement clause and they had a brief discussion about it at the end of last season, to see where his headspace was; if they go bold, I wouldn’t be shocked if that’s the direction [Toronto] go in,” Pagnotta said.
Even then, any deal would still require Rielly’s approval, and Toronto would need to find a team willing to take on a $7 million cap hit for the next five years.
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For now, the Leafs are focused on staying in the playoff race. Toronto is back in action Monday against the Minnesota Wild, with questions about the roster’s future still lingering.
