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The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to be amongst the most active teams this offseason following a disappointing campaign as the group looks to gear up in hopes of a bounce back season in 2026-2027.

One player whose name has been frequently mentioned in trade rumors is Morgan Rielly. The 32 year old defenseman recently topped insider Frank Seravalli’s 25 player offseason trade board.

If Toronto does decide to move Rielly, the question is which team could he be moved to that would make sense for both him and the Maple Leafs?

San Jose Sharks Could be an Option for Rielly

Seravalli believes the San Jose Sharks will be a team to watch when it comes to this summer’s potential Reilly sweepstakes. On the Big Show, he mentioned San Jose has a clear need for defenseman as they only have two players currently under contract on their blueline.

The Sharks are a team on the rise, coming off a season in which the team saw drastic improvement after just barely missing out on a spot in the playoffs in response to a last place finish in the standings the year prior. Led by the efforts of Macklin Celebrini on offense, the squad has plenty of young talent that has them poised for a bright future for years to come.

However, the Sharks still have work to do if they want to take that next step forward in the rebuild and assert themselves as a true postseason contending team. The biggest weakness the team has is on their back end. They have a weak D-core with few reliable options that can be counted on to support their netminders.

Rielly would provide the Sharks with a much needed veteran presence for their defense to rely on. This could be exactly what the doctor ordered for Rielly as well. He is one of many players who has received his fair share of criticism during his time with Toronto. Perhaps a change in scenery would do wonders for him, playing in a market without that same level of pressure to perform.

What Could Toronto Receive for Rielly?

This is a player that should still have reasonable trade value. While he is past his prime, Reilly can still log high ice time and feature on both special teams. There should be a viable market for his services with regards to interested teams.

If San Jose is the team Toronto decides to deal with, there are a plethora of options that could be on the table when it comes to the return package. This a team that needs to be willing to make some sacrifices if they aim to improve their defense. The Sharks have a large breadth of young forwards that could entice Toronto.

The Maple Leafs have struggled to replace the offensive production that has been lost with the absence of Mitch Marner. Toronto could unload a couple promising youth players off of San Jose’s hands that may help them fill that large void on the offense.