NHL Rumors: Maple Leafs Urged to Take Unique Route With Morgan Rielly

The Toronto Maple Leafs are heading toward a summer of real change, and Morgan Rielly might be at the center of it. 

According to Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos, the organization may need to consider a route that felt unthinkable not long ago. 

If a trade cannot be worked out, a buyout could be the only realistic way forward.

Nick Kypreos floats Morgan Rielly buyout option

Kypreos openly questioned whether this is the offseason the Maple Leafs sit down with Rielly and try to move him, and if that fails, whether a buyout becomes the fallback plan. 

The biggest issue remains his full no-movement clause, which runs through the 2027-28 season and gives him complete control over his future.

Morgan Rielly says he takes full responsibility for not jumping in immediately after the Gudas hit but likes the way the Leafs still responded the rest of the game:

“It’s on me for not responding earlier to Gudas. It’s a dirty hit. I didn’t understand how bad he got him in the… pic.twitter.com/K4ELUGpSP5

— Leafslatest (@Leafslatest) March 13, 2026

That protection has already made things difficult. 

There was reportedly no real market for Rielly at the trade deadline, even with teams searching for defense help. 

Meanwhile, the 5th overall pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft's performance has dipped, posting nine goals, 33 points, an ugly -16 plus/minus rating, 28 hits, and 90 blocked shots across 65 games. 

For a player carrying a $7.5 million cap hit on an eight-year, $60 million deal, that production simply has not matched expectations.

Maple Leafs face tough decision on Rielly contract

Buying out Rielly would come with long-term consequences. 

NHL Trade Talk's Jackson Weber calculates that the Maple Leafs would carry a $3.5 million cap hit for four years, followed by roughly $2 million annually for another four seasons after the contract expires. 

That is a heavy price to pay for a player no longer on the roster.

"He's been a good Leaf. He's been a solid player. So, I don't think it's time to move Morgan Rielly, but I think it might be time cuz the market. They turn on defencemen."

- Brian Burke@thegoldenmuzzy | @Jay_D_Rosehill pic.twitter.com/UtmmFN3SzR

— TheLeafsNation (@TLNdc) March 5, 2026

But Kypreos pointed to the rising salary cap, projected to climb significantly over the next few seasons, which could make that burden more manageable than it looks today. 

Toronto is also projected to have around $23 million in cap space heading into 2026-27, which gives them flexibility to absorb a move like this if they believe it resets the roster in a good way.

The reality is the Maple Leafs would still prefer a trade. A change of scenery could benefit both sides, and it would avoid the long-term cap penalties of a buyout. 

Over his 13-year NHL career, spent entirely with Toronto, Rielly has 96 goals and 546 points across 938 games played, just 62 games away from the impressive 1,000-game mark.

Photo Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images