With the NHL’s Olympic break set to wrap up in about a week, the trade chatter is starting to pick up again, and the Toronto Maple Leafs are right in the middle of it.
Sitting near the bottom of the Atlantic Division and their playoff outlook growing murky, questions about the team’s direction are becoming louder. Now, reports suggest the organization has already had a “conversation” about what many view as a $60 million dilemma.
Maple Leafs Evaluating Direction With $60,000,000 Star
That player is longtime defenseman Morgan Rielly. He is in the fourth season of his eight-year, $60 million contract, a deal that includes a full no-movement clause through the first six years. In the final two seasons, that protection shifts to a 10-team no-trade list, meaning Rielly still holds significant control over his future.
After 13 seasons in Toronto, Rielly remains one of the franchise’s most recognizable faces. Offensively, he continues to contribute, posting 31 points in 54 games this season. But defensively, the numbers raise concerns: a minus-17 rating, 63 five-on-five goals against, and 33 high-danger chances allowed.
On The Sheet podcast, NHL insider David Pagnotta said, “He’s got the full no-move…he’s got control basically; I think that [conversation]…will eventually happen; I believe they had a loose conversation at the end of last season.”
That comment suggests management has at least explored what a move might look like, even if nothing formal has materialized. With the March trade deadline approaching and Toronto potentially heading toward a retool, Rielly’s contract naturally becomes part of the discussion.
A Creative Trade Idea Surfaces
Former NHL general manager Doug MacLean has proposed a bold solution: a one-for-one swap involving Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse.
Like Rielly, Nurse is in the fourth season of a hefty, eight-year, $74 million deal, and has also faced criticism this year. MacLean believes a fresh start could benefit both players.
“I mean, at 9 and a half million, I mean, that’s a tough contract to swallow. Still, he said he would take Nurse ‘in a heartbeat,'” MacLean admitted.
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MacLean also emphasized that Rielly remains highly regarded across the league. “Morgan Rielly’s perceived as a pretty good player in the NHL,” MacLean said. “And maybe it might do him the world of good to go somewhere else.”
For now, it’s unclear whether Toronto will seriously attempt to move Rielly’s contract, especially given the protection built into his deal. The Leafs return to action on February 25 against the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the weeks leading up to the trade deadline could prove pivotal in determining the team’s direction.
