The Morgan Rielly trade talks are gaining momentum after a new report linked the veteran Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman to two Metropolitan Division teams.

NHL insider David Pagnotta's report said that the Philadelphia Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins have shown interest in trading for Rielly.

“I know the Flyers, I believe Pittsburgh to some degree, have expressed interest...in Morgan Rielly.”

Pagnotta made these comments during his appearance on Toronto Sports Rush. The NHL Rumor Report shared this report on their X account. His report has added more attention to one of the Maple Leafs’ biggest offseason stories.

Toronto has made several changes under new general manager John Chayka, and rumors about Rielly’s future have continued to increase.

The situation is interesting because Toronto is not trying to move Rielly just to clear salary. The 32-year-old has a $7.5 million cap hit until the 2029-30 season, but the Maple Leafs still believe he can help the team on the ice.

Last season, he scored 11 goals and added 25 assists for 36 points in 78 games while playing more than 21 minutes per game.

For Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, Rielly could be a top-four defenseman who moves the puck well, helps on the power play, and plays big minutes. But a trade would need approval from the new team, Toronto, and Rielly because he has trade protection in his contract.

Toronto wants assets back, not just cap relief

During the same interview, Pagnotta said the Maple Leafs are not trying to get rid of Rielly’s contract just to save money.

As reported by Jim Biringer on NHL Rumors, he stated, “The Leafs aren’t giving him away. They’ve made that clear, it’s a trade. They’re gonna get some type of asset back, as they should.”

He also said that people inside the organization see a trade as something that could happen later, not something that is impossible.

“I was told it’s a matter of when, not if. Now, the problem with the when not if is nobody really knows when.”

This matches a report from Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman, noted by Geoff Hannah on NHL Trade Rumor, who said Toronto does not want to include valuable draft picks or top prospects just to move the final four years of Rielly’s contract. The Maple Leafs seem willing to wait for a trade that gives them good value in return.

Philadelphia and Pittsburgh may be watching the situation, but Toronto’s asking price and Rielly’s trade protection could make a deal difficult. If Rielly starts the season well, if other teams suffer injuries, or if the salary cap rises again, his trade value could increase.

Right now, the Maple Leafs are listening to offers, but they are not desperate to trade him. The main question is whether the Flyers or Penguins will offer enough to convince Toronto to move one of the team’s longest-serving defensemen.

More teams are showing interest in Morgan Rielly, but Toronto does not see him as a player it needs to dump for salary-cap reasons. Because of that, any trade will need to be planned carefully.

What do you think? Will the Flyers or Penguins seriously pursue Morgan Rielly, or will he stay with Toronto? Let us know in the comments. 

Read more at the NHL Fan Central.

Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Kapil Manghnani brings over 4.5 years of experience in sports journalism, covering a wide range of sports, including Soccer, NHL, Tennis, Gymnastics, NASCAR, Swimming, and more. He has written for leading sports platforms, producing everything from breaking news and features to in-depth analysis, opinion pieces, long-form stories, and short-form content. Beyond articles, he has also scripted long-form storytelling videos for YouTube channels. His work focuses on delivering well-researched, engaging, and reader-first sports content across multiple formats.

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Edited by

Suyashdeep Sason