The Toronto Maple Leafs’ plans for Morgan Rielly and the future of the veteran defenseman with the team have remained one of the biggest offseason sagas around the Original Six franchise.
Amid all the speculation about whether the longtime Maple Leafs player could remain in Toronto into the 2026-27 season, The Athletic's Chris Johnston reported on the last "The Chris Johnston's Show" episode of the season that Toronto’s expectation has not changed.
“I'm still curious to see what happens with Rielly,” Johnston said. “I continue to hear that the expectation is 'You will still be moved before next season,' but you know, as I mentioned in our previous trade discussions, some of the steam sometimes goes out of those talks when we get a little deeper into the summer.
“I still think that they'll be looking at ways to change and shape the roster, so this is probably the one busiest offseason for the Leafs I can remember.”
Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Back on June 8, Johnston already reported that Toronto was ready to part ways with Rielly amid its front-office facelift.
“With a new management group running the front office and a new coaching staff soon to be hired, this is a time of change in Toronto,” Johnston said. “That means the writing is on the wall for Rielly, the Leafs’ longest-tenured player, who has previously been unwilling to consider waiving his no-movement clause but has since softened on that stance.”
Rielly has spent his entire NHL career, spanning 13 seasons, with Toronto. His role and production, however, have diminished after more than a decade as one of the team’s top defensemen. Last season, Rielly recorded 11 goals and 25 assists for 36 points in 78 games, while carrying a $7.5 million cap hit.
Following the first portion of the offseason, including the draft and the first wave of free-agent signings, the Maple Leafs created some flexibility for themselves if they decide to move on from Rielly.
Toronto added defensive depth by signing defenseman Darren Raddysh to a $68 million deal, and has a group of blueliners that also features Jake McCabe, Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson for a combined top-four.
While the expectation remains that Rielly will be traded, the timing is still uncertain, with Johnston noting that the situation could potentially drag into training camp or even the regular season.
