The Toronto Maple Leafs have committed to their top defenseman, inking Morgan Rielly to an eight-year deal at an average annual value of $7.5 million.
Morgan Rielly admitted that his mind has wandered about what it would be like to start and close out his career with one franchise.
After signing an eight-year, $60 million contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday, that thought has the potential to become a reality.
"I've just gotten to that point in Toronto where it really feels like home," Rielly said "It's a pretty cool feeling."
The Maple Leafs returned home after a three-game road trip on Thursday after snapping a four-game losing streak with a 3-2 overtime win against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Despite the victory, there was much to be desired about the performance, particularly from a defensive core that gave up a lot of quality scoring chances to the worst team in the league.
But Rielly's extension appeared to help lift the spirits of the club. The news officially broke during the team's practice on Friday. Rielly's teammates didn't know about the new long-term commitment until head coach Sheldon Keefe broke the news at the conclusion of practice.
"He said, 'Ah, I don't want to make a big deal of it,'" Keefe said of Rielly's request. "That speaks to what he's like, but I felt it was important to give him that acknowledgement and it was a cool moment for his teammates to be there."
Rielly's deal carries an average annual value of $7.5 million. For a player slotted as their No. 1 defenseman, it comes at a bargain price, given the extensions handed out by other teams to similar players over the past few months.
Navigating the flat cap was going to be a challenge for the Maple Leafs, who handed the defenseman six years of a no-move clause and a limited no-trade for the remaining two seasons.
"Faith goes both ways," Rielly said. "I believe in the group we have here and the people we have in our locker room. I think for the team to offer me that notion of faith is special, too. I look forward to holding up my end of the bargain of trying to accomplish the ultimate goal."
Rielly has four assists in eight games this season. He scored five goals and had 30 assists in 55 games in 2020-'21. Rielly will turn 36 when his extension concludes at the end of the 2029-30 season.
At eight years, the club is taking a risk that the high cap hit could become a strain on the club in the latter years.
"I think with the commitment for eight years when you are signing them for that long, you need to know the person you are signing," Leafs GM Kyle Dubas said. "We know he's going to do the work necessary to maintain his form throughout the deal."
After signing Rielly, the Maple Leafs have a $75,280,616 salary cap hit assigned to 15 players for 2022-'23, according to PuckPedia.com. General Manager Kyle Dubas identified goaltending as a remaining priority for the club. Current starter Jack Campbell has performed well this season in spite of the team's 3-4-1 start. He is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season and will likely command a raise over his $1.65 million cap charge for this season.
Selected by the Maple Leafs in the first round, fifth overall at the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, Rielly is the longest-serving member of the club. He's seen his fair share of disappointment. Most notably, five consecutive years of opening-round playoff defeats.
But his character throughout his tenure has been one the team felt they can't be without.
"There's a reason why the organization has gone through a number of changes over the years but he's the one guy that's lasted," Keefe said of Rielly. "I think he's just a very selfless player. The talent and abilities he has are a huge part of what he brings, but there's all those other intangibles."