The Toronto Maple Leafs need to shake things up. After losing in the second round of the playoffs to the Florida Panthers, general manager Brad Treliving knew something had to give. âThereâs some DNA that has to change in our team,â Treliving told reporters. âIf you keep getting to the same result, thereâs some DNA that needs to change. Thatâs on me going forward.”
To say things have changed is an understatement. Superstar Mitch Marner left to join the Vegas Golden Knights. The Leafs acquired Mattias Maccelli and Dakota Joshua to bolster their offense. By all accounts, the roster seems completely different.
But, if the Maple Leafs really want to show things are changing, they need to make a big splash.
Heavy.com proposed a one-for-one swap that would see long-time defenseman Morgan Rielly and Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse trade places.
Maple Leafs receive:Â
- Darnell Nurse
Oilers receive:
- Morgan Rielly
Nurse and Rielly have quite a bit in common. Firstly, they’re both long-term defensemen drafted by their organizations. They both have contracts going into the 2030s. But, more than anything else, they’re both players in need of fresh starts.
This, of course, isn’t to say they’re bad defenders by any means. Rielly and Nurse are both capable of working the top line on high-powered offenses. This trade proposal gives both players a change of scenery in order to better facilitate their game.
Sometimes, all an athlete needs is a chance to start over somewhere else.
What Nurse Brings to Maple Leafs
Nurse, born in Ontario, is a physical, gritty defenseman built for grueling runs in the playoffs. He ended last season with five goals and 28 assists for 33 points in 76 games. While Rielly tends to take the more offensive role, Nurse brings hard hits and more than his fair share of playoff experience.
Like Rielly, he’s been through it all. He’s played on rebuilding teams and contenders alike. Having said that, he knows the toll a deep run in the playoffs can take on a team. Nurse has 94 career playoff games, including two trips to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Nurse has five years left on his contract making $9.25M per season.
Rielly Ready for Next Season
When asked about whether or not he’d consider a change in scenery, Rielly said he didn’t want to think about it.
âThere’s always change. Every summer, every offseason is different,â Rielly remarked at the Maple Leafs locker room cleanout. âAs a player, I think sometimes it’s best not to speculate on what may or may not happen. So, for us, I mean for me individually, you want to focus on what you can do to come back a better version of yourself at the next training camp.â
The Maple Leafs made substantial upgrades to their defense last season, adding Brandon Carlo and Chris Tanev. Yet, despite this, Rielly ended last season with seven goals and 34 assists for 41 points in 82 games. It’s his lowest total since he hit similar numbers during an injury-shortened season in 2022-23. Should the Maple Leafs look to make a substantial change, moving on from Rielly could kickstart a retool of the team’s blue line.
Rielly has five years left on his contract making $7.5M per season.
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This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
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