Maple Leafs Expected to Ask Star to Waive No-Movement Clause

Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Maple Leafs Expected to Ask Star to Waive No-Movement Clause

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Michael DeRosa | Last updated May 12, 2026 3:29 PM ET

The Toronto Maple Leafs will be one of the top teams to watch during this offseason. After a nightmare 2025-26 season that saw them finish with a 32-36-14 record and at the bottom of the Atlantic Division standings, the Maple Leafs are expected to make changes to their roster this offseason.

One notable Maple Leafs defenseman to watch this offseason is Morgan Rielly. Questions about the 32-year-old blueliner's future in Toronto have come up often in recent years, and they are only picking up after the Maple Leafs' poor season.

During a recent appearance on First Up with Korolnek & Colaiacovo, TSN's Darren Dreger reported that the Maple Leafs are expected to ask Rielly to waive his no-movement clause this offseason.

"I feel like something would have to change for them not to approach Morgan, who's got trade protection, to say that 'we'd like to explore opportunities, what do you think,'" Dreger said. "But I also think that Morgan's probably there, too."

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly (44) at Ball Arena.Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Dreger also noted that the Maple Leafs approached Rielly after last season about waiving his no-movement clause, but the star blueliner wanted another year to prove himself with the Original Six club.

Yet, after how poorly this season went, it is understandable that Toronto is expected to approach Rielly about waiving his no-movement clause again. In 78 games during this season, he had 11 goals, 25 assists, 36 points, and a minus-18 rating.

While Rielly had some struggles this season, it is likely that he would still generate interest around the league if he is willing to accept a trade out of Toronto. His $7.5 million cap hit until the end of the 2029-30 season is reasonable for what he provides, and he would be a strong pickup for a team looking to boost its top four.

Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see if the Maple Leafs end up dealing Rielly this offseason. If they do, it would be the end of an era, as Rielly has been a big part of Toronto's blueline for the last 13 seasons.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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