Kypreos: Maple Leafs' Rielly Still Has Value in Reduced Role

Analyst Nick Kypreos says Morgan Rielly can thrive on Toronto's third pairing after the Leafs kept him through the offseason.

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly heads into his 14th season with the club after an offseason of trade speculation that never produced a deal. Former player turned analyst Nick Kypreos said on Real Kyper & Bourne that Rielly remains a useful piece for Toronto if used in a smaller role.

Kypreos suggested pairing Rielly with Emil Andrae to open the season, with Chris Tanev and Jake McCabe handling shutdown duties and Oliver Ekman-Larsson anchoring a pairing alongside newcomer Darren Raddysh. He argued that Rielly, whose production has declined, can still be effective in the right circumstances.

Kypreos added that Rielly had submitted a trade list and was prepared to be moved in certain scenarios, but the Leafs never received an offer they considered fair value. That, combined with the belief that he could still contribute, contributed to Toronto keeping its longest-tenured player.

He also compared Rielly's situation to that of Larry Murphy, who struggled in a top role with the Maple Leafs from 1995 to 1997 before being traded to Detroit, where he won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1997 and 1998 with a more defined, secondary role.