Former NHLer Nick Kypreos believes Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly should consider waiving his no-move clause to allow the team to trade him.

The Maple Leafs suffered another early playoff exit, losing to the Florida Panthers in Round 2. Despite starting 63% of his playoff shifts in the offensive zone, the Leafs were still outshot and outscored while he was on the ice, per Natural Stat Trick.

With Rielly signed for five more years at a $7.5 million cap hit and possessing a full no-move clause, he controls his future destination. But Kypreos argued on Sportsnet 590’s “The FAN” podcast that Rielly should allow a trade if it’s clear there’s no future for him in Toronto:

“I honestly believe that whether you have a no-move or not, if it looks like it’s not going anywhere, or there’s not a mutual feel between two parties — in this case, Morgan and the Leafs — that we’re on the same page, then Morgan should consider lifting his no-move.”

Kypreos suggested that a change of scenery could reinvigorate Rielly’s career, just as it did for Seth Jones after he was traded from Chicago to Florida after requesting a trade.

“Another Morgan can come alive with another team. I think Seth Jones showed a lot of guys that if the environment isn’t right, the chemistry isn’t right, it doesn’t mean you’re no longer good. It means that you can thrive somewhere else again. Yeah, and Morgan’s not thriving here,” he added.

The Maple Leafs face major offseason choices, with Mitch Marner and John Tavares’s future under speculation. However, Morgan Rielly’s status is also one to monitor, as Toronto could consider changes following another disappointing playoff run.

NHL analyst Justin Bourne’s take on Morgan Rielly

NHL analyst Justin Bourne agreed with Nick Kypreos’s assessment that Morgan Rielly may not be worth his $7.5 million cap hit going forward. Bourne said:

“I just think the problem is that he’s not a problem, right? Well, and that’s fine to think that he is… But I mean, he can justify roughly his salary… I would be very — I’m interested to see if the Leafs and Morgan can come to something they haven’t had the hutzpah to do.”

Rielly holds the power over his future thanks to his no-move clause. Whether he decides to leave Toronto will likely depend on whether it becomes clear that parting ways would be the best move for both him and the team.