Maple Leafs still have Morgan Rielly because of Darnell Nurse

Maple Leafs still have Morgan Rielly because of Darnell Nurse originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Even after months of speculation about a Morgan Rielly trade, he’s still a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

At least, as of Tuesday morning July 7, that’s still true. Things change quickly, but Rielly hasn’t been dealt yet.

A big part of the reason might be Darnell Nurse.

Nurse, another veteran defenseman, was traded already this offseason — from the Edmonton Oilers to the San Jose Sharks.

Turns out, the Sharks considered both Nurse and Rielly.

According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on his 32 Thoughts podcast, the Sharks simply preferred Nurse to Rielly.

It’s not that close, but it’s probably clear that San Jose was looking for what Nurse could bring defensively vs. Rielly pic.twitter.com/LtVRkA4XjU

— Hockey Alchemy (@hockeyalchemy) July 6, 2026

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Rielly is actually on a cheaper contract and is by many measures a better player than Nurse at this point in their respective careers, but that’s apparently not what San Jose felt.

The Sharks even did the Oilers a huge solid by taking on Nurse’s entire contract. The Maple Leafs likely would’ve greatly appreciated a chance to get out of Rielly’s deal which still pays him $30 million total over the next four seasons.

But at least for now, one suitor is off the table. Other teams could likely use Rielly, but after the draft and the initial rush of free agency, the rest of this offseason can progress at a less predictable pace — so if a move is still going to happen, it’s not immediately clear when it might be.

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