The Morgan Rielly Conundrum

[Golden_Jet]

Their 10 year is done. There will be a bidding process

I think poster meant NBC won’t be bidding.

 

[Clark4Ever]

Let's just hope that he's willing to take a long term extension in the 5-6 million AAV range. I would hate to see him go for many reasons, but his overall skill set just doesn't justify anything beyond that, and we are already in cap trouble.

 

[Notsince67]

I think poster meant NBC won’t be bidding.

Not what I understand. In any event, ESPN wants back in.

 

[Notsince67]

Let's just hope that he's willing to take a long term extension in the 5-6 million AAV range. I would hate to see him go for many reasons, but his overall skill set just doesn't justify anything beyond that, and we are already in cap trouble.

He is better than torey krug

 

[TakeTheBody]

I'm not paying Rielly 7 million. I understand why he's feels he may be worth it. He saw all those forwards get paid, he's been here longer. Breaking up is hard to do. I appreciate him as a player just not that much. Good guy, decent player just not worth 7 million to me. I'd rather keep Hyman. I feel the same way about Freddie as I do Rielly.

 

[Menzinger]

Give him term and a partial ntc and see if he signs for 6.5 mil or less.

If he's not willing to play ball on the avv you look to trade him (likely for futures) and use the cap savings to go shopping in free agency

 

[Mr Papagoergyo]

Yeah it doesn't look good, too much money with forwards.
If they can commit to this tight defensive game they might not need a great goalie.

 

[rojac]

Not what I understand. In any event, ESPN wants back in.

I think NBC might offer a package that includes games on NBC (as usual), 2-3 nights of games on USA, some games on the free tier of Peacock and more games on the paid tier of Peacock. I think the shutting down of NBCSN isn't NBC getting out of sports but rather boosting the sports presence of USA and Peacock.

 

[meefer]

It's a beautiful day today, isn't it.

Ya, but it's going to rain cats and dogs tomorrow.

 

[RogerR]

Let's just hope that he's willing to take a long term extension in the 5-6 million AAV range. I would hate to see him go for many reasons, but his overall skill set just doesn't justify anything beyond that, and we are already in cap trouble.

Eh, better situation than most teams

 

[LeafsNation75]

Give him term and a partial ntc and see if he signs for 6.5 mil or less.

If he's not willing to play ball on the avv you look to trade him (likely for futures) and use the cap savings to go shopping in free agency

On Rielly's current contract he already has a M-NTC that started this season and will also have for next season, where he gives Dubas a 10 team no trade list. So that shows he willing to accept something like that.

 

[colchar]

Last night, it unfortunately cost us a goal that made that game closer than it needed to be.

So you're bitching about the margin of victory? Sweet Jebus.................

 

[Puckstuff]

So you're bitching about the margin of victory? Sweet Jebus.................

These things are not costly vs Montreal during the regular season but these miscues are the difference between winning or losing in the playoffs vs a team like TB or Boston when the margin for error is basically zero.

 

[Damisoph]

Mo's a loyal soldier, he won't pull a Mitch and hold our feet to the fire. He'll get a shorter term deal around $6-$6.5.

 

[Critical13]

Give him term and a partial ntc and see if he signs for 6.5 mil or less.

If he's not willing to play ball on the avv you look to trade him (likely for futures) and use the cap savings to go shopping in free agency

It's hard for me to stomach even 6.5m right now. It's hard to imagine him making more than he is now with the way he is playing.

These things are not costly vs Montreal during the regular season but these miscues are the difference between winning or losing in the playoffs vs a team like TB or Boston when the margin for error is basically zero.

Agreed. Watch out, criticisizing Mo on this board is very unwelcome. In my opinion, he's been our most disappointing player. He very rarely looks like a top pairing D so far.

 

[Spirit of 67]

I'm not really sure what to do but I'm not even worrying about it until the summer.
Then, I wanna make a decision.

 

[Rielly4]

Rielly is a high skilled D man. His skating and puck skills are top tier, hes upper echelon in terms of offensive defenseman. Anyone who thinks otherwise needs to look around the league, he is top 10 in terms of offensive skill.

His defense isnt great but to find an offensive d man who is also great defensively is pretty rare. We can make 7 million work, its only 2 mil more then his current contract. Freddy will probably be the one to go and we will find a cheaper goalie.

 

[Legion34]

That year there will be many UFA as of now....


Jones. Parayko. Nurse. Rielly. Pulock. Etc.

Toronto always lands on its feet. I’m thinking we wait to see how the $ works.

I would guess it would be like an 8 year 56 mill contract right now. With full bonuses.

I wonder if we look at getting rid of muzzy after 2 years. Love the guy but he will be mostly paid and he will be like 33

 

[LeafGrief]

Muzzin stays at home and is great defensively
Holl is great defensively
Brodie has been great defensively
Rielly is our freewheeler

It's like so many people are stuck in 18-19 and even 19-20 when our defense was still mediocre to bad. We've built a top4 defense that has a fantastic shutdown pairing in Muzzin-Holl and we got a defensive partner to cover for Rielly's free-wheeling. With all of these strong defenders, who all excel in transition, look at who the coach is still leaning on the most: Rielly. Having an elite offensive defenseman is such a big weapon for a team that's built around scoring forwards. It's like the "Leafs are bad defensively" narrative has been beaten into us so hard that anything other than defensive perfection is intolerable. We've built a great top4 that's balanced around a bunch of guys who can defend well and one guy who dominates play whenever he's on the ice. It's a great top4 and Rielly is instrumental to that balance.

I think 7m and under is a great deal, load up the term too. Honestly, I'd trade Nylander for a cheaper player and use the savings on Rielly, that's how important he is to the team. I don't even believe that much in the "build out from the net" philosophy, but this top4 that we've got is just so freaking awesome and Rielly is critical to it and how our team plays.

 

[The Blueprint]

I'm a big fan of Rielly, home grown talent has been through shit with this team. Had an unreal season a few years ago.. but he hasn't shown the same offensively or defensively since.

If he doesn't take a decent discount, 500k to 1 mil raise max, you have to look at options without him going forward IMO. With the addition of Brodie and if Holl can continue his play, the hopeful growth of Sandin, Lilly, Dermott... We have Muzzy aswell.

This year is big for Mo and his future with the Leafs I think. I'd really like to see him clean up his defensive play before commiting to a long term retirement deal, love the guy but it's a business at the end of the day.

 

[zeke]

I wonder if we look at getting rid of muzzy after 2 years. Love the guy but he will be mostly paid and he will be like 33

This might be the play.

Even though I love the guy and think he was our best dman last year and might still be our best dman this year - it still might make the most sense to move the last two years of his contract at ages 33-34.

I'm not sure that's the answer, and I want to see more out of lehtonen dermott and Sandin before making a call there...but it's a definite possibility.

 

[BlueForever75]

People that are questioning Reilly's importance to this team is non-sense. If Muzzin is paid what he is, which is market value. If Brodie was brought in at what he was. Then Reilly is worth every penny over those amounts. What that will be, no one knows at this time.

But he is top 5 in D scoring currently in entire NHL. He finally has an above average D partner in Brodie which he hasnt his entire career. And is getting better and better with him. If the Leafs are smart, they sign him soon before his value sky rockets and they cant fit him under the cap.

He's our leader and should have been made captain. He goes no where.

 

[bodechek]

the defense is finally good partly because he's no longer our best defenseman

The defence is better because we don't have to rely on just Morgan Rielly.

 

[BlueForever75]

The defence is better because we don't have to rely on just Morgan Rielly.

Defense is better because our defense knows their individual roles and are playing within them. Reilly is being given the opportunity to be Reilly without worrying his partner wont do his job.

 

[Twine Tickler]

As previous poster's have stated, I think the better play is Moving Muzz. Even leaving him unprotected and letting Seattle scoop him up. He is a great D-man, and one that I would be sad to see go. Unfortunately we have a bit of a log jam at D. Timmy deserves a real look next year, and TD and Sandin look to me like they are ready to assume a more permanent role as well.

Rielly - Brodie
Dermott - Holl
Sandin - Liljegren
Lehtonen - Bogo (if resigned) I assume one or both will leave

Protect Reilly/Brodie/Holl/Dermott and let Seattle take Muzz. We then give that 5mill+ to Mo. Only caveat is Muzz has a full NMC, so I am not sure how it would work to get Seattle to select him. I'd imagine it would have to involve Muzz waiving his NMC. NMC are not put in place to guarantee someone staying with that specific team, it just gives the player control of where they land in the event that team wants to move on. But Seattle is a wicked place to live, and I'm sure Muzz would definitely consider it.

It's certainly an option. Not one I wish we had to consider, but given the abnormality's and uncertainty of the expansion draft, losing Muzz has the lowest potential loss long term. He has already been in the prime of his career, and will only get worse from here on out. It would kill me to see Dermott flourish into the next Shea Theodore. Even though I don't suspect that will happen, that risk is always there.