What will the Maple Leafs do with Morgan Rielly who has a year left on his deal?
James Mirtle and Jonas Siegel of The Athletic: 27-year old Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly is eligible for a contract extension at the end of this month.
A long-term extension with the Leafs isn’t an easy decision. He could get more on the open market and the Leafs have their cap concerns.
Comparable run from Oliver Ekman-Larsson‘s $8.5 million cap hit on the high end to Alex Goligoski‘s $5.475 million on the low end.
Justin Faulk and Torey Krug signed seven-year, $6.5 million cap hit deals last offseason. Ryan McDonagh signed for seven years at $6.75 million and Jared Spurgeon for seven and $7.575 millipn per.
Dom Luszczyszyn projects Rielly at $8.25 million per on a long-term deal. With the flat and his trajectory, he could fall closer to $7 million.
Will the Leafs decided they need to re-sign him or are they okay with using that cap space elsewhere.
One other option for the Maple Leafs this offseason could be to explore a trade. An NHL player, prospect and pick is the typical return for a player of Rielly’s calibre who is entering the last year of their deal.
Could a deal with the Florida Panthers involving MacKenzie Weegar work for both sides?
Would a deal with the Vancouver Canucks involving J.T. Miller work? Miller could replace Zach Hyman.
Would the Maple Leafs be interested in Los Angeles Kings forward Adrian Kempe in a package?
Jonas Siegel would try to sign Rielly to a six-year deal at $6 million per. Mirtle is thinking more in the $6.5 million.
Maple Leafs and Zach Hyman are far apart
Sportsnet: Zach Hyman is coming off a bargain $2.25 million per deal and will be looking to cash in. The Maple Leafs have just under $11 million in salary cap space with 16 players under contract next and it won’t be easy for the Maple Leafs to re-sign him.
Comparables put him in the $5 million per season range, and unless he’s willing to give the Maple Leafs a big hometown discount, he’s likely headed to free agency.
According to Elliotte Friedman the sides are far apart.
“Sounds like he’s testing the market,” Elliotte Friedman told the FAN 960’s The Big Show. “I heard they were significantly far apart.”
The Maple Leafs wouldn’t be in a rush to get a deal finalized and made official anyways as he’d need to be protected in the expansion draft if signed before July 21st.