Morgan Rielly run as the longest-tenured Toronto Maple Leafs player may continue for another season.
Despite a significant amount of speculation that the veteran defenceman will be dealt this summer, Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka said Thursday he does not anticipate seeing Rielly moved.
“I don’t think so. As I stand here today. No,” Chayka said. “But, again, those are the discussions we’ll continue to have.”
Chayka’s update comes after TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reported earlier this week that Rielly’s agent, J.P. Barry, submitted a list of four Western-based teams he would be willing to go to.
Dreger noted there could be some further flexibility to add teams to the trade list.
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.
Currently the longest-tenured Maple Leaf, Rielly 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 and the team has made changes both on and off the ice.
The Maple Leafs hired Chayka as general manager and brought in franchise legend Mats Sundin as senior executive advisor of hockey operations.
Head coach Craig Berube was fired after two seasons behind the bench in May and replaced with Jim Hiller.
On the ice, goaltender Joseph Woll and defenceman Simon Benoit were dealt to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for goalie Samuel Ersson, defenceman Emil Andrae and a draft pick.
The team also added blueliner Darren Raddysh on an eight-year, $68 million contract via a sign-and-trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning and have the first-overall pick in Friday’s NHL Draft.
