According to Darren Dreger, Morgan Rielly’s agent provided the Maple Leafs a list of four Western clubs the defender would be willing to trade to.
The information is taken directly from Dreger. The four-team Western list was presented by J.P. Barry, and it will be evaluated team by team, with the possibility to include other clubs based on their suitability.
This is why it’s important. The way Toronto can finally sell Rielly is through a legitimate list, as he has a no-move clause.
Observe the player who is on the move. At 32 years old, Reilly has a $7.5 million cap hit, 36 points, and a minus-18. The Leafs may now really deal a seasoned defenseman.
It fits perfectly into the remodel. Under John Chayka, the 28th-placed Leafs have been adding and subtracting, and freeing Rielly’s money is consistent with the reset.
Dreger explained the rules.
The list that makes a Rielly transaction possible at last
Take note of the wrinkle that is only present in the West. It restricts the market and means that Eastern fits, such as the Rangers idea that has been circulating recently, are not in play as things stand by limiting it to four Western teams.
However, the door is not locked. Dreger said this is a starting point, not a hard ceiling, because teams may be added depending on match.
Be clear-eyed about the value, as well. A $7.5 million veteran defender coming off a poor season isn’t guaranteed to move. Toronto might require a sweetener or the perfect match to seal one.
What makes it valuable is the time frame. With the draft Friday, a defined list is exactly what a GM wants in hand, letting Chayka make calls now instead of chasing permission later.
Here’s my read: this is the practical step that turns Rielly talk into Rielly action. A no-move with a real list is a movable contract. Without one, he’s stuck. Toronto just got the green light to work the phones.
So the Leafs can finally move on a longtime piece.
Which of the four Western teams bites, or whether the list grows, is the thread heading into the draft. The mechanism is in place. The deal is not.
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