Could trading Morgan Rielly be key to saving Maple Leafs' season?

"Morgan Rielly, much like the Maple Leafs as a whole, has had an up-and-down start to the season. Offensively, he's been one of Toronto's most reliable producers on the back end, posting 3 goals and 14 assists for 17 points in 22 games. At this pace, he's tracking toward his best offensive season since 2018-19. However, the defensive side of his game has been a different story."

"Morgan Rielly has had an interesting career with the Maple Leafs. Drafted 5th overall in 2012, he was expected to become one of the league's next elite defencemen. The Victoria native has spent his entire career in Toronto and is now the team's longest-tenured player. Since the arrival of the core four, Rielly has consistently improved, highlighted by his incredible 70-point season in 2018-19, the highest total by a defenceman in franchise history."

"He has also been one of the few players willing to take ownership of the team's playoff failures, something not many others have done. However, since that breakout year, Rielly has struggled to find a steady defence partner. He has rotated through names like Nikita Zaitsev, Ron Hainsey, Matt Hunwick, Cody Ceci, and, most recently, Brandon Carlo. Carlo has been his strongest partner so far, bringing veteran experience and a shutdown presence to the Leafs' blue line."

Morgan Rielly has combined strong offensive production with uneven defensive play to start the season. He has 3 goals and 14 assists for 17 points in 22 games and is pacing toward his best offensive season since 2018-19. Defensive reads and coverage lapses have been conspicuous during the Maple Leafs' early struggles. Rielly was drafted fifth overall in 2012 and is now Toronto’s longest-tenured player after steady improvement and a 70-point 2018-19 campaign. He has rotated through partners including Nikita Zaitsev, Ron Hainsey, Matt Hunwick, Cody Ceci and Brandon Carlo, with Carlo the most reliable shutdown presence. The mix of strong offense and defensive inconsistency fuels trade speculation as the team pursues a firmer blue-line identity.

Read at Editor In Leaf