‘This is my home’: How the Maple Leafs are attempting to reignite Morgan Rielly

This after the Leafs tumbled to fifth-worst within the league and missed the playoffs for the primary time in a decade. 

This after Rielly discovered himself on the ice for an Eastern Conference–worst 92 targets in opposition to at even-strength representing a workforce that additionally allowed a conference-worst 218 targets in opposition to at evens. 

This after the offensive defenceman’s manufacturing (36 factors) dipped to its lowest mark over a full 82-gamer since 2016-17. 

This after the membership’s longest-tenured participant submitted, through agent J.P. Barry, a listing of 4 Western groups to which he’d think about waiving his no-move clause and settle for a commerce.

Heck, Rielly himself even admitted a number of occasions that the thought of beginning 2026-27 in a brand new uniform “crossed my mind.”

But after commerce discussions went nowhere and wholesale adjustments — plus a wave of renewed hope — rippled throughout the one professional franchise Rielly has ever identified, all sides decided that, properly, perhaps a commerce (and definitely not a lopsided one) was not a prerequisite for a clear slate.

“After a year like last year, there was lots of guys that maybe felt a little bit of uncertainty with the future. But that’s part of the business, and that’s part of what happens, especially after a disappointing season,” Rielly mentioned Monday, addressing reporters for the primary time since camp opened final week.

“So, I’m extremely happy and grateful to be here now. This is my home. This is the team that I love and I would do anything for. So, I feel very grateful to be here, and just really excited to get going.”

For the skeptics, there’s little sense debating why Rielly continues to be a Leaf. There is simply watching how he’s deployed and what he makes of his redemption shot.

San Jose, probably the most logical low season commerce vacation spot, opted as a substitute to spend its hundreds of thousands on rugged minute-munching veterans Darnell Nurse and Jacob Trouba. Potential suits in Edmonton and Anaheim noticed their cap house dry up. 

Reilly by no means requested out anyway. And shot-callers John Chayka and Mats Sundin have little interest in promoting off a longtime, helpful asset and not using a compelling return. Nor shoving a dedicated chief and character teammate out the door by making life awkward.

Moreover, with the value of puck-movers spiking like a Frosh Week punch bowl, Toronto’s brass believes Rielly’s $7.5 million AAV is truthful bang for the buck. (Bowen Byram has one 40-point marketing campaign and can rake $12.5 million subsequent season; Rielly has six seasons between 41 and 72 factors.)

And so, Rielly is again the place he by no means left, at a value and with an perspective the Leafs need to work with.

“It’s your passion for the game. You know, you play a lot of games in one place, and it can become a bit of a routine, a bit of Groundhog Day. So, you just have to reignite the passion. It sounds to me like he’s done that,” mentioned coach Jim Hiller, who started assembly with Rielly in July. 

“I can just see him lighter, smiling, happier, ready to go. And I’m really happy to see that.”

Jim Hiller has been a Rielly booster because the coach ran Toronto’s lethal power-play from 2015 to 2019. His plan is to accomplice Rielly with incoming PP quarterback Darren Raddysh and feed them loads of O-zone begins alongside Toronto’s top-six forwards, whereas the reliable Chris Tanev and Jake McCabe cope with the harder defensive assignments.

“We’re both coming into the year very excited and anxious to get going and anxious to have a good start,” Rielly mentioned.

“We want to work well together, obviously. I think we were both hoping to play with each other, and I think there’s an opportunity there for us to be great, and we’re going to try everything we can to execute on that.”

Opportunity. And strain. 

For smooth-striding Rielly, it’s to rebound from a soul-crushing winter that slid wildly off the rails, to skate for a coach that’s making an attempt to accent his attributes, which he struggled to showcase beneath Craig Berube’s dump-and-chase offence and pack-the-house defence.

For shot-threat Raddysh, it’s to dwell as much as hype and scrutiny that comes with a $68-million contract and a extra discerning hometown fan base.

And for Hiller, who’s concurrently trying to shore up the East’s leakiest defence whereas letting his offensive D-men shine up entrance.

“I like Jimmy a lot. He’s got great history here with guys that he worked with before, including the staff and everything. So, I think he comes into the situation feeling pretty comfortable,” Rielly enthused. 

“Vibes are high. Guys are having fun, and I think pace has been good.”

Rielly chuckles that the shortened camp may be a tad too quick for a man who missed Saturday’s pre-season motion as a result of one thing was amiss together with his bloodwork.

“I felt good all along. It was just some kind of virus that I didn’t really know I had that came up in bloodwork, and they wanted to avoid contact for a couple days, that’s all,” defined Rielly, who’s hopeful to play Wednesday versus Ottawa.

In an ideal world, that’s when the eagerness returns.

“He’s got to be a good frame of mind. He needs support, like all the defencemen do, from the forwards,” Hiller mentioned.

“I haven’t been here. I do understand the narrative that people got down on Morgan. I don’t see it. I’m giving him a clean slate, and I’m glad he’s excited to play. I expect just a great year. I know for years he was looked upon favourably by everybody. So, sometimes things turn and they swing maybe a little too far one way or the other, and it might not be exact truth.”

One unshakable fact is Rielly’s choice — nay, need — to make it work in Toronto.

“I just love this team and my teammates. And whatever the downs are, the challenges, I think the opportunity and the ups outweigh them greatly. And I feel very fortunate to have been a Maple Leaf, and I want to continue that for as long as I can,” Rielly mentioned.

“My performance and my game has to try to hold up that end of the bargain on the results side, and hopefully both those things can happen.”

Another Groundhog Day, although, might spell Doomsday.

Remember, Rielly felt robust and spoke positively coming into 2025-26 as properly. 

“I think when the team dipped, I dipped — and lots of other guys dipped. And I’ve spent a long time trying to work on that, trying to get to the bottom of that and find solutions of how to not let that happen again,” Rielly mentioned.

“That’s a part of the journey. That’s a part of a profession. It’s difficult, nevertheless it’s additionally a part of the deal. And so, I feel we acquired to embrace these challenges and embrace all the things that comes with being part of this workforce and enjoying on this league. 

“We all feel grateful to be here now, and the vibes are high.”

Maple Leafs defence pairings:

McCabe – Tanev
Rielly – Raddysh
Ekman-Larsson – Stecher
Andrae – Blankenburg