Yardbarker
x
Another Big Move Awaits Maple Leafs
Feb 19, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Reilly (44) skates against the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images

The Toronto Maple Leafs are in a new era of their organization. The Core Four have been blown to smithereens with superstar winger Mitch Marner now with the Vegas Golden Knights. Captain Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and John Tavares remain, but the group supposed to bring a Stanley Cup back to Toronto failed and must find a way to move forward.

Things are calm for the Maple Leafs, but there’s another massive move awaiting the organization. The team must move on from number one defender, Morgan Reilly.

Stay with me now, Leafs Nation. I know this has already been a wild and trying summer for the organization. Perhaps you’re thinking the team has to stand pat at this point and try to hang on to normalcy.

Forget all that. It’s time for the rebuild on the fly. The Leafs still have the greatest goal scorer in the NHL and another bona fide offensive star: they have to find a way to complement those two. Reilly is an incredibly mobile and offensively gifted defender, but he’s not the No. 1 blue liner on a Stanley Cup team.

Now, there is a huge impediment in the quest to move Reilly. The veteran defender owns a no-movement clause in his contract, meaning he must approve any transaction involving him. From all reports and rumblings, Reilly loves Toronto and has no desire to leave.

That’s a bridge management must cross, but it’s a necessary one to improve this team. Reilly will make $7.5 million annually until he is 36 years old. As talented and valuable as he’s been to the organization, he’s shown that he cannot be the anchor of the team’s blue line. He’s a 40-50 point scorer who often gets hemmed in defensively. In the postseason, that type of player is not a No. 1, and the Leafs have painfully learned that lesson time and time again.

If they want to take the next step and end the dreaded Stanley Cup drought, they must address all of the team’s issues. The offense needs a jolt with Marner’s departure, but it doesn’t end there. The defense needs a true leader and top-pairing player they can rely on in all three zones. It will take a huge effort to make it happen, but another massive move could be awaiting the Maple Leafs this summer.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!