Morgan Rielly is rumored to be traded from Toronto and the Kings are listed as a preferred destination. Now Los Angeles has to determine if they want to go all in on Rielly.
Throughout most of his career, Rielly was on the first-line pairing and was the number one defenseman for the Maple Leafs. While Rielly has first line experience, he may not be on the first line with the Kings.
Last season, Rielly recorded a 35.64 IPP, which was the lowest of his entire career. Despite the regression from Rielly, he could still be beneficial to Los Angeles even if he isn’t on the first line. A second line role would work best for both paries if a trade happened.
Brandt Clarke and Joel Edmunson were regarded as the most effective pairing for the Kings last season. On the second line, Edmundson had an increase in the offensive zone last season, which set up a career-high 21 assists.
If Edmundson was replaced with Rielly, a more offensive centric defenseman, more production would likely occur. Reilly and Clarke can both generate shots from the perimeter, creating a dangerous offensive pairing on the second line.
Trading for Rielly wouldn’t only make the Kings better on the second line, but it would keep their division rivals weaker. The teams in the running for Rielly are most likely teams that are in desperate need of defensemen.
Teams like the Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks were among the worst defensive teams last season. Both the Ducks and Sharks ranked in the bottom four in most goals allowed per game.
If the Edmonton Oilers entered into the Reilly sweepstakes, it would be even more detrimental to the Kings. Edmonton struggled defensively, but they could become Stanley Cup contenders once again with an improved defense. As shown in 2025, Conor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are good enough to make it out of the Western conference with a very average defense.
Los Angeles must avoid the risk of any Pacific team getting their hands on a premier offensive defenseman like Rielly. The Kings could prevent any of their rivals from getting better if they are the first ones to make the trade to Toronto.
Rielly is a solution for many teams in the West, hence as to why his four preferred teams are in the west. The Kings need to be the first team to secure a player that can help their defense next season.
