Rielly aware future may not be in Toronto — The Fourth Period

However, it appears the future is on his mind, as he acknowledged prior to Monday’s 6-5 loss to the Dallas Stars at Scotiabank Arena, potentially Rielly’s last home game as a Leaf.

“It’s crossed my mind before,” he said. “All athletes you know have that at some point – they think about that, and tonight’s no different than that.”

Rielly has four more seasons remaining on his contract after this one and comes with a $7.5 million salary cap hit. Teams like the San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks and Seattle Kraken have been rumoured to have interest in him, should the Leafs look to move him.

And while a trade may be possible this summer, Rielly noted how much he has enjoyed playing and living in Toronto since first lacing up his skates for the club in the 2013-14 season.

“It’s an outstanding place to play and a great place to live,” he said. “This organization means a lot to a lot of people and so to be a part of it, it’s an honour and I don’t believe that that’s lost on anyone in here.”