Maple Leafs’ Morgan Rielly breaks silence on trade rumors after tumultuous season

Morgan Rielly is the longest-tenured player on the Toronto Maple Leafs roster, and despite a challenging 2025-26 campaign, the veteran defenseman expects to start the new season with the only NHL team he’s ever known.

Rielly has been at the center of trade speculation throughout the summer, but with training camp now just weeks away, the possibility of him getting shipped out appears to be fading.

“It means more to me to be with this organization than it ever has,” the 32-year-old told NHL.com’s Mike Zeisberger on Wednesday. “I think that’s because I’ve had a lot of time for reflection. In the end, you end up feeling more grateful and more excited. I feel like it’s a new opportunity and the excitement has only grown.”

Originally selected fifth overall by the Leafs in the 2012 NHL Draft, Rielly has spent his entire 13-year career in Toronto. He’s second all-time in franchise defenseman scoring with 549 points and is just 49 games away from reaching 1,000 in the NHL.

He’s been Toronto’s go-to option from the blue line for most of his career, but Rielly endured a difficult 2025-26 season, recording just 36 points in 78 games. That’s his lowest point total since 2020-21.

With a completely revamped front office now led by GM John Chayka, there was speculation that Rielly could be getting a change of scenery this summer. Chayka acknowledged in June that Toronto had continued to discuss the possibility of moving the veteran defenseman, although he said at the time that he did not expect a trade.

Those rumors persisted after the Leafs landed offensive-minded defenseman Darren Raddysh in a sign-and-trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

But nothing has materialized, and Rielly’s latest comments suggest he’s preparing for another season in Toronto.

“I think you kind of learn from your experiences in the past,” Rielly added. “And again, I feel pretty fortunate. I have a lot of good people around me, and I’ve really enjoyed the offseason. I’ve been training hard and really look forward to get going. I don’t think it’s anything different.”

Toronto’s revamped roster will look considerably different in 2026-27, with Raddysh among the notable additions alongside veteran goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and top prospect Gavin McKenna.

The Leafs will be hoping the changes are enough to get them back into playoff contention after missing the postseason in 2025-26.

There’s still no guarantee Rielly won’t be traded, but based on his comments, it certainly sounds like he’s preparing to remain in Toronto. He has four seasons remaining on his contract at a $7.5 million salary-cap hit.

If he does stay in the Six for 2026-27 and appears in 49 games, he’ll become the sixth Maple Leaf to reach 1,000 regular-season appearances.

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