Toronto Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka and new head coach Jim Hiller addressed swirling trade speculation surrounding defenceman Morgan Rielly and forward Matthew Knies during a press conference at the Ford Performance Centre on Thursday. Chayka indicated that moving Rielly may not be inevitable, despite recent reports that the 32-year-old submitted a list of four Western-based teams to which he would accept a trade, leveraging his no-movement clause.
Chayka on Rielly's Future with the Leafs
When asked directly whether he expects a trade involving Rielly, Chayka responded, “I don’t think so, as I stand here, no. But those are the discussions we continue to have.” The GM emphasized respect for Rielly, the longest-tenured Leaf, and noted ongoing conversations with the player and his representation. “Morgan is the longest-tenured Leaf and I’ve got tons of respect, as does Mats (Sundin). There’s probably no one else that could appreciate it and understand it and respect it, like Mats Sundin does,” Chayka said. He added, “I know he loves being a Toronto Maple Leaf and we think he’s a great player, and we’re just trying to find the right fit for everyone.”
Rielly, who has spent 13 seasons with the Leafs and led the team in ice time in eight of them, carries an average annual value of $7.5 million for the next four seasons. Chayka suggested that a trade return might only yield a mid-round draft pick, possibly higher if the Leafs retain salary. He questioned whether the team would be better off without Rielly, who has been part of 100-point regular-season teams and performed well in the playoffs.
Coach Hiller Expects Rielly Back
Hiller, who was made available to media for the first time in-person since his hiring, expressed confidence that Rielly will be with the team next season. “Yeah, 100%,” Hiller said. “I’ve talked to Morgan, and we’re going to meet next week. I’m really excited to get the chance to coach him again. I thought Morgan, during my time here (from 2015-19 as an assistant coach), was a really good player, a great person. I look at him as being part of the solution. He knows that.”
Regarding Rielly’s trade list, Hiller noted, “There’s always a lot of speculation about all types of players. I’ve heard the same thing. I hope he’s part of the team in the future and if it goes a different direction, so be it. That’s nothing that I can control.”
Matthew Knies Trade Chatter Addressed
Chayka also addressed persistent trade speculation surrounding 23-year-old forward Matthew Knies, who signed a five-year, $7.75 million AAV contract. While Chayka did not deny talks, he indicated the Leafs are listening to offers rather than shopping Knies. “Matthew is an elite power forward in the prime of his career at a number that we think allows us to build a great team around him,” Chayka said. “That all sounds pretty good to me. Ultimately, my job is to try to make the team better, but all the things I just said make that incredibly difficult to do so (if Knies were dealt). We’ll have discussions and we’ll evaluate things, but there’s nothing, as I stand here today, that I think makes us a better team.”
Chayka noted that trading Knies would only make sense if the Leafs received a similarly aged defenceman who could make an immediate impact, which he deemed unlikely. He also dismissed the idea of trading Knies for a high draft pick, such as the fourth-overall selection from the Buffalo Sabres, given the team’s win-now mode. “Getting, for example, the fourth-overall pick from the Buffalo Sabres in a trade for Knies would allow the Leafs to take defenceman Chase Reid or centre Caleb Malhotra,” Chayka explained, but neither would contribute significantly in 2026-27.
Leafs' Win-Now Approach
The Leafs, under new coach Hiller and after acquiring defenceman Darren Raddysh, are expected to compete for the playoffs immediately. Chayka emphasized that removing Knies and potentially Rielly would contradict the team’s short-term goals. “Had the Leafs been looking more to the future, trading Knies would be understandable,” he said. “When you’ve hired an experienced coach in Hiller and traded for defenceman of Darren Raddysh’s talent, you expect to return to the playoffs immediately. Eliminating Knies, and perhaps Rielly, from the equation would fly in the face of post-season goals in 2026-27.”
