The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed an eight-year extension with Morgan Rielly worth $60 million. The 27-year-old was Toronto’s first-round pick in the 2012 draft. He has played 580 regular-season games and 32 playoff games with the Maple Leafs, making him the longest-serving player on the current roster. Starting next season, he will be making an average of $7.5 million, up from his current $5 million a year contract.
The new deal has a no-movement clause for the remainder of this season and a no-movement clause continuing until the 2027-28 season. Additionally, the final two years of the agreement have a modified clause where Rielly can submit a 10 team no-trade list.
Related: Maple Leafs Keeping Rielly May Indicate Big Changes in 2022
Rielly was on the last year of his deal, and many analysts predicted he would go into the free-agent market next summer due to the lucrative contracts signed by defensemen this past offseason. On the first day of training camp, he was asked about staying in Toronto when his contract was up, “I think you all know how I feel about being Leaf, but there is a business aspect to it. I’m going to take care of myself. I feel great, and I’m prepared for the season.”
Team Friendly Deal with Franchise Records in Play
Like the last five-year deal he signed in 2016, this agreement is a team-friendly contract. Comparable players are getting over $8 million, and that price tag is likely to increase next season. However, the extension puts the West Vancouver, British Columbia native in the top 20 for defenseman salaries. The highest-paid blueliner is Erik Karlsson with the San Jose Sharks, making $11.5 million a season.
Rielly’s name is all over the Maple Leafs’ record book. He is the franchise leader for blocked shots (763), 17th for assists (246) and 38th for points (305). He is also the second defenceman in Maple Leaf history to begin his career with seven consecutive 20-assist seasons joining Leafs’ legend Börje Salming.
Incredibly, he is currently 24th in franchise history for games played. Should he play every regular-season game, and the seasons are 82 games, he would become the franchise leader. George Armstrong is at 1,188 games, this extension could theoretically see Rielly hit 1,310 games in the blue and white.