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Darren Dreger reveals the truth about Morgan Rielly trade talks


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Alexander Cole
February 10, 2026  (11:11)
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Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly (44) skates during the warmup before a game against the New Jersey Devils at Scotiabank Arena.
Photo credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly has been brought up quite a bit in trade talks as of late, and the NHL trade deadline is upping the pressure.

Morgan Rielly is a player who has been struggling with the Toronto Maple Leafs as of late, and some fans have clocked that his play has begun to dwindle in recent seasons.
It is unfortunate, but quite frankly, the Maple Leafs cannot afford him to be anything but spectacular. At $7.5 million per season, Rielly needs to be a lot better in order to live up to his contract.
With the Leafs looking to get better while also selling off dead weight, it appears as though Rielly is in trade conversations, with various teams showing interest.
Recently, NHL insider Darren Dreger was on TSN 1050, where he discussed the possibility of Rielly going somewhere else next season.

Darren Dreger on Morgan Rielly's future

As Dreger explains, there is a realistic possibility that the Leafs and Rielly have a conversation about a deal. However, it is likely to happen in the offseason, and not at the trade deadline.
I can't dismiss it as a possibility, because doesn't it feel inevitable that that conversation has to happen, whether it's between now and March 6th, or for ease...you wait until the summer
What makes all of this more interesting is the fact that Rielly is injured right now. Since 2022, the Leafs have a record of 24-5-1 when Rielly is not in the lineup.
For those keeping track at home, that is an 80 percent win percentage without a defenseman who is making $7.5 million per season.
This is a worst-case scenario for the Maple Leafs, and there is no denying that the team is going to have to do something about this very soon.
General manager Brad Treliving has a tough decision to make, and unfortunately for him, he has to make this decision sooner rather than later.
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Darren Dreger reveals the truth about Morgan Rielly trade talks

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