New Toronto Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka has certainly put his stamp on the club since taking over for the fired Brad Treliving, bringing aboard several new players via free agency and trade, along with selecting Gavin McKenna with the first overall selection in the 2026 NHL Draft.
However, one player who still remains at the center of trade rumors is veteran defenseman Morgan Rielly, who is the longest-tenured member of the team. While there have been multiple trade proposals, another one is being entered into the mix from Heavy.com.
In this latest trade proposal, the Maple Leafs pick up an intriguing prospect from the Anaheim Ducks, the latest Western Conference club to be linked to Rielly, while the Ducks get some badly-needed veteran blue line presence.
Maple Leafs Receive:
- Tristan Luneau
- Salary Retention
- 2027 2nd round draft pick
Ducks Receive:
- Morgan Rielly
The proposed deal works for the Maple Leafs, who want to unload Rielly’s salary cap hit and continue their recent trend of moving on from some of the old guard that had been in place for each of their recent postseason meltdowns.
The Ducks have already lost multiple defensemen from their roster this offseason, including John Carlson, Radko Gudas, and Jacob Trouba. While Rielly is left-handed, he would bring a stabilizing presence on a young team that is on the rise, and would also give him a change of scenery.
Meanwhile, prospect defenseman Tristan Luneau, who was taken in the second round (53rd overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft by the Ducks, has tremendous upside.
The rookie defenseman quickly emerged as one of the American Hockey League’s top young playmakers with the San Diego Gulls, pacing both his team and all first-year players across the league in assists. He also put together an impressive 11-game stretch with at least one helper, becoming the first AHL rookie in three seasons to accomplish that feat.
His outstanding debut campaign earned him a spot on the AHL All-Rookie Team.
Morgan Rielly Has Made It Clear His Preference Is To Remain With The Toronto Maple Leafs
Rielly, who knows full well that he’s in the middle of trade rumors, has made it clear that his preference is to remain in place.
“I’ve always loved being in Toronto and being a part of this organization,” Rielly said. “It’s very meaningful to me, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. I’ve always wanted to stay. I still want to stay. I love playing here, I love being a Maple Leaf, and this organization means a lot to me.”
Rielly Is The Longest-Tenured Member Of The Maple Leafs
After completing his 13th year in Toronto, Morgan Rielly once again played a significant role on the blue line for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The veteran defenseman finished the campaign with 11 goals and 36 points across 78 appearances, while averaging 21:08 per night and posting a minus-18 rating.
Now the longest-serving member of the Maple Leafs roster, Rielly has spent his entire NHL career with Toronto after being selected fifth overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Since entering the league, he has suited up for 951 games with the franchise, accumulating 98 goals and 549 total points.
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