While there was no shortage of speculation around the future of Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly this summer, general manager John Chayka says the team’s longest-tenured player was never close to being traded.
TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reported in June that Rielly’s agent, J.P. Barry, submitted a list of four Western-based teams he would be willing to go to. Jonas Siegel and TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston report in The Athletic , however, that the blueliner never expressed a desire to leave.
“At no point did we ever have what I would characterize as a serious trade opportunity with Morgan Rielly,” Chayka told The Athletic in a piece posted by the two on Tuesday.
Chayka made no shortage of changes to the Maple Leafs roster upon being hired to replace the departed Brad Treliving. Colton Sissons, Jack Roslovic, Nick Paul, Teddy Blueger, Brandon Duhaime and Zack MacEwen were all added to the forward group in free agency, while first-overall pick Gavin McKenna is also expected to crack the opening-night roster.
Prized free-agent addition Sergei Bobrovsky is set to pair with Anthony Stolarz in net after both Joseph Woll and Dennis Hildeby were traded this summer.
On the blueline, Chayka traded Simon Benoit as part of the deal add defenceman Emil Andrae and made a major swing in adding Darren Raddysh in a sign-and-trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning that included an eight-year contract extension. Nick Blankenburg could also feature in the team’s plans as he competes for a roster spot in training camp on a PTO.
Chayka said he believes Rielly fits his vision for the Maple Leafs defence core under new head coach Jim Hiller.
“As we think about this season and what we’re trying to accomplish and do, certainly getting the puck in the forwards’ hands in positions that they can then go create offence more often is a really big part of what we’re trying to accomplish,” Chayka said. “If you look at Morgan’s career, he’s been able to skate, move the puck and create offence. So at no point was this some situation where we didn’t want Morgan Rielly or we don’t value Morgan Rielly. It’s the opposite.
“I’ve had very frank, candid conversations with Morgan now over the summer. Like, what an incredible person, and he’s played an important role for this team, and we expect he’ll continue to do that. We’re in a good spot — he’s ready to go for camp and just looking forward.”
Rielly is coming off his 13th season with the Maple Leafs, where he scored 11 goals with 36 points in 78 games while averaging 21:08 of ice time and a plus/minus rating of -18.
The Vancouver native was drafted fifth overall by Toronto in 2012 and has skated in 951 games with the franchise, scoring 98 goals with 549 points.
Toronto missed the playoffs last season for the first time since 2016 but are hoping the flurry of off-season activity will be enough to regain their spot this year.
