Leafs sign Rielly to eight-year max deal (maple leafs)

maple leafs

Leafs sign Rielly to eight-year max deal

By Mike Augello

Oct 29, 2021 • 2:58 pm

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The Toronto Maple Leafs had two significant free agents to deal with next summer, with the contracts of goalie Jack Campbell and defenseman Morgan Rielly expiring. During the summer and at the start of training camp, Leafs GM Kyle Dubas indicated that he would keep any discussion about contract negotiations on the down low, but on Friday the club announced that they had signed Rielly to an eight-year, $60 million contract, with an average annual value of $7.5 million.

"It's been a good process on both sides, I think it was pretty respectful and I'm just glad it's over." Rielly said. "It just means a lot. Over time, you get comfortable and you start to feel passionately towards what you do for a living. I just have gotten to that point here in Toronto where it really feels like home."

According to Pierre LeBrun of the Athletic, Rielly will make $8 million (including a $4 million signing bonus) in Year 1, $10 million (includes a $5 million signing bonus) in Year 2, $10 million in Year 3, $8 million in Year 4, and $6 million in Years 5 through 8.

"The organization operates from Larry and Judy Tannenbaum all the way down. Just the quality of the day in, day out work by the players, the staff, all the way through. I think that every day that I've been here since 2012 has been first class and that's the standard around here." Rielly said. "It's a pretty special place to be."

Leafs GM Kyle Dubas was right to be proactive in getting Rielly signed with the escalating price of defensemen over the last few months and with the possibility of him being in the mix for Team Canada for the upcoming Beijing Olympics. Toronto was able to lower the AAV to $7.5 million by extending the deal to eight years, while perspective interested teams would have needed to go in excess of $8 million on a seven-year deal to be in the same financial ballpark.

"You hope to have them done as soon as you can. That could have happened in late July but we needed time to work with the flat cap." Dubas said according to David Alter of the Hockey News. There was a path forward where they wanted to get something done and it was a pleasure to work with them on it."

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