Controversial $60 Million Maple Leaf Unexpectedly On NHL Pre-Season Trade Watchlist

The most shocking news we've received thus far on the matter came today when a trade watchlist from a highly reputable outlet named one of Toronto's star players as a name to watch.

Waves were made this morning when Elite Prospects, a highly reputable scouting an analysis site, named Morgan Rielly to their list of 10 Impact Players Who Could Be On The Move This Season.

This came as a shock to many, as Rielly has been a staple on the Maple Leafs' blue line for over a decade. As he prepares to enter the 4th year of his 8 year, $60 million contract, it makes some sense as to why the Leafs would look to move him.

This would certainly align with our belief that Rielly could be asked to waive his NMC in order to help Toronto bring in some help up front.

While Rielly still has plenty of good hockey left to give, the team has been unable to make anything happen thus far with him on the roster. Factor in the fact that he has five years left on a hefty contract, and is on the wrong side of 30, the picture becomes a little clearer.

While Rielly has remained and could continue to be a force to be reckoned with on Toronto's blue line, he's not as important to the team as he once was. With the additions of players like Brandon Carlo, Chris Tanev, Jake McCabe, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and an expected boost in offense from the back-end thanks to newcomer Henry Thrun, Rielly's services have become more expendable than they were before.

The thought of losing the current longest-tenured Maple Leaf is a tough pill to swallow for many, but if it helps in netting some extra firepower up front, Toronto might not be able to resist.