“I mean, it’s crossed my mind before,” Morgan Rielly said when asked if he thought about the fact that Monday’s home game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Dallas Stars might be his last. “All athletes have that. At some point, they think about that, and so you know again, tonight’s no different than that.”
“Just like everybody else, trying to push through, trying to put your best foot forward and continue to compete and play hard and try to win games, and that’s no different for us here tonight.” He added when asked if it’s a grind or if it’s distracting. “It can be a grind on the team’s not playing well because you’re losing games, you know, which is the most important thing around here, so you know those challenges always come from within.”
Rielly has often been discussed as the Maple Leafs get set for what could be a summer of change. He’s been in the rumor mill before, with trade talk surrounding him. Still, this feels different. While he holds a lot of control over where he’ll go or if he can be traded, this offseason is expected to include some roster moves, and many believe the Leafs will ask. They’ll want to talk to him about his future, with the hopes he might be open to a move.
When head coach Craig Berube was asked what he thought it meant to Rielly to be a Maple Leaf, Berube responded, “Everything.” He added, “I mean, he’s been here a long time and he loves it here. I mean, I don’t think he can think about being anywhere else personally after being drafted here and playing here this long and this many games. H’s been a staple here for a long time, so it’d be hard for him to be thinking about not being a Leaf.”
Matthew Knies said, “I’m sure it means a lot for him to be here and be a part of that many games.”
Rielly said earlier this week, “My desire to stay in Toronto is always going to be there… There are a number of reasons, but a big one is loyalty. Loyalty to the team that drafted you, I think that’s a powerful thing.” He added today, “It’s an outstanding place to play and a great place to live… this organization means a lot to a lot of people, and so to be a part of it, it’s an honor, and I don’t believe that that’s lost on anyone in here.”
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