Canadian Daily Rumours: Maple Leafs, Canucks, Oilers & Rielly

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Canadian Daily Rumours: Maple Leafs, Canucks, Oilers & Rielly

Originally posted on NHL Trade Talk | By Wilson Stillman | Last updated May 13, 2026 11:07 PM ET

In today’s (May 13) Canadian Daily Rumours roundup, I’m looking at three storylines hitting the rumour mill: the Maple Leafs are juggling what to do with Morgan Rielly after a rough couple of years, the Vancouver Canucks look set to promote Ryan Johnson with the Sedins expected to have a major say, and Bruce Cassidy’s name is floating around the Pacific, with both the Kings and Oilers interested. Lots of decisions are coming that could shake up each club heading into next season.

Maple Leafs Rumour: Is It Time Rielly Moved On?

The numbers aren’t pretty. Morgan Rielly’s goals went up. However, his points fell to 36 in 78 games, his minutes dropped to the lowest since 2014–15, and his possession and on-ice save numbers cratered to career lows. MoneyPuck even ranked him 107th out of 148 regular defensemen in on-ice goals percentage. That’s not the profile of your top-pair blue-liner, and it’s easy to see why people are whispering that Toronto might need to rethink his role.

The thing is, this whole setup started under Brad Treliving, and now Chayka and Sundin’s arrival muddies the waters. Sundin has ties to Rielly through agent J.P. Barry, so there’s a real chance Rielly gets one more season to prove it under the new regime. But with four years and $22M left on his deal and back-to-back meh campaigns, the Leafs aren’t in a great spot to trade him for much. So they’ve got a choice: rip the band-aid and move him now for a limited return, or hold on and hope a bounce-back saves his value.

Canucks Rumour: Ryan Johnson Poised for a Promotion

Looks like Ryan Johnson’s moving up. Abbotsford’s GM is the favourite to land a big role in Vancouver, either as Director of Hockey Ops or full-on GM, per Rick Dhaliwal. Johnson’s been running the AHL club smoothly, so promoting from within makes sense and would keep some continuity between the farm and the NHL club.

The twist: Daniel and Henrik Sedin are expected to have major input on the hire, so this isn’t just a front-office decision — it’s also about the Sedins’ vision for the team’s future. That backing could give Johnson real sway right away, and if the Sedins are happy, the move could signal a steady, player-first direction for the Canucks.

Oilers Rumour: Cassidy on the Market: Kings and Oilers Interested

So Bruce Cassidy was fired as the Vegas head coach, and now he’s doing TV for the postseason. But teams haven’t forgotten about him. The word is that the Kings and Oilers are both sniffing around. Makes sense: Cassidy’s got a solid track record, knows how to run a top-end club, and both LA and Edmonton could use a steady, experienced voice behind the bench.

For Edmonton, Cassidy fits the “win-now” itch. He’d give structure to McDavid’s crew and maybe steady the ship after a rocky season. For the Kings, he’s the kind of coach who could push a talented group over the hump. Cassidy’s TV stint is just a pit stop; one of those Pacific teams could snap him up if they want a proven coach who gets results.

This article first appeared on NHL Trade Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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