Despite the Leafs horrendous losing streak, Morgan Rielly continues to impress

[Bill Waters*]

Continues to impress? What? He hasnt lived up to expectations at all-sophmore slump or not. Dont like his game. Id roll the dice by trading Morgan "Muffin-Shot" Rielly for Nail "Chicken-Head" Yakupov.

 

[Flair Hay]

He was one of the players I actually liked when the Leafs played Winnipeg and I got to watch live.

Rielly will do the best with a big physical partner who can handle the front of the net and the boards IMO. Rielly made several great individual efforts where he dodged a forechecker and regrouped; only to have the outlet forward covered or too far ahead of the play.

He struggles a bit down low in his own zone but that's size related not skill related. A big two way center that can battle down low or a big stay at home bruiser for a partner will compliment him well.

At the rate Leafs are going they might be able to get a center like that for a few years from now.

Gardiner is the one that is way too soft and one dimensional IMO. Rielly is way better than Gardiner considering the age difference.

 

[Erik Alfredsson]

He made a horrible pinch that resulted in a breakaway and a great scoring chance for Ottawa. He didn't impress me at all.

 

[Erik Alfredsson]

Are you kidding? You couldn't be more wrong

How is he wrong? Can you see into the future?

 

[Pyrophorus]

Not sure if sarcasm or what you're trying to say?

I just meant he is only 20, the team is awful, and no one is playing with any confidence, which is why we've stopped scoring. We need a blow out game where we score a bunch to get out of this funk, and I bet it happens soon and ruins our top 5 pick.

No sarcasm at all.

No one has any confidence right now.

 

[HarrisonFord]

He was one of the players I actually liked when the Leafs played Winnipeg and I got to watch live.

Rielly will do the best with a big physical partner who can handle the front of the net and the boards IMO. Rielly made several great individual efforts where he dodged a forechecker and regrouped; only to have the outlet forward covered or too far ahead of the play.

He struggles a bit down low in his own zone but that's size related not skill related. A big two way center that can battle down low or a big stay at home bruiser for a partner will compliment him well.

At the rate Leafs are going they might be able to get a center like that for a few years from now.

Gardiner is the one that is way too soft and one dimensional IMO. Rielly is way better than Gardiner considering the age difference.

Couldn't agree with you more Rick, woooooo!

Though he's actually stronger than he looks. He does still struggle a bit with the bigger forwards, but he holds no reservation for trying to get into a puck battle with them, or take a hit from a big guy to make a play. That's the thing Gardiner is really missing

 

[leafsgirl12]

Not really. Here is how I see him.

He grabs the puck, up the ice, into the offensive zone, shifts his weight, looks like he is about to absolutely unleash a shot, then right before something happens and he gets no power off and it is lightly brushed aside.

I think the issue is confidence.

maybe the coaches are trying to get him to improve more defensively.right now he has 4 goals and 10 assists.

 

[Sojourn]

He was one of the players I actually liked when the Leafs played Winnipeg and I got to watch live.

Rielly will do the best with a big physical partner who can handle the front of the net and the boards IMO. Rielly made several great individual efforts where he dodged a forechecker and regrouped; only to have the outlet forward covered or too far ahead of the play.

He struggles a bit down low in his own zone but that's size related not skill related. A big two way center that can battle down low or a big stay at home bruiser for a partner will compliment him well.

At the rate Leafs are going they might be able to get a center like that for a few years from now.

Gardiner is the one that is way too soft and one dimensional IMO. Rielly is way better than Gardiner considering the age difference.

If Rielly needs one of those players to really do his best, that seems to suggest he won't be as good as some think.

 

[HarrisonFord]

If Rielly needs one of those players to really do his best, that seems to suggest he won't be as good as some think.

I think there's a difference between needing one now, as a 20 year old, and needing one when he's older and stronger. Needing one now isn't a knock, it just shows that he's a kid in his 2nd season, and the biggest, stronger, older guys are more difficult for him to clear out from the front of the net. He's already noticeably stronger than he was last year, and I think that's only going to improve with time. In fact, when it comes to his strength, he was in the top 10 at the 2012 combine for leg power(9), grip, (1 and 3), bench press reps (4), bench press weight/body weight (4), pull strength (9).

He's never going to be a guy whose going to fight often at all, but he'll be able to hold tough with anybody in the league by the time he's in his mid 20s

 

[Sojourn]

I think there's a difference between needing one now, as a 20 year old, and needing one when he's older and stronger. Needing one now isn't a knock, it just shows that he's a kid in his 2nd season, and the biggest, stronger, older guys are more difficult for him to clear out from the front of the net. He's already noticeably stronger than he was last year, and I think that's only going to improve with time. In fact, when it comes to his strength, he was in the top 10 at the 2012 combine for leg power(9), grip, (1 and 3), bench press reps (4), bench press weight/body weight (4), pull strength (9).

He's never going to be a guy whose going to fight often at all, but he'll be able to hold tough with anybody in the league by the time he's in his mid 20s

Fair enough. For what it's worth, I think people tend to be extreme about him. Even as recently as last season some fans were talking about how he could/should have gone 1st overall, and wasn't just going to be the best defenseman but the best player from the draft. At the other end of the spectrum, you've got people saying he won't amount to much now that he hasn't set the world on fire in his first two seasons. He seems very polarizing, and I wish people would just be patient. He's a talented kid, and I think he can be just as good as players like Lindholm and Trouba. I'd put them ahead of him currently, but who knows what the future will bring? He's as talented as any of them. They're just ahead of him at the moment.

 

[Paradoc]

He made a horrible pinch that resulted in a breakaway and a great scoring chance for Ottawa. He didn't impress me at all.

lol, Gardiner and Rielly were easily our best players that game...

 

[Paradoc]

If Rielly needs one of those players to really do his best, that seems to suggest he won't be as good as some think.

Doesn't everyone need a good player do his best? I'm sure Lindholm wouldn't play as a good as he is without Beauchemin or Lovejoy as his partner.

 

[Paradoc]

Fair enough. For what it's worth, I think people tend to be extreme about him. Even as recently as last season some fans were talking about how he could/should have gone 1st overall, and wasn't just going to be the best defenseman but the best player from the draft. At the other end of the spectrum, you've got people saying he won't amount to much now that he hasn't set the world on fire in his first two seasons. He seems very polarizing, and I wish people would just be patient. He's a talented kid, and I think he can be just as good as players like Lindholm and Trouba. I'd put them ahead of him currently, but who knows what the future will bring? He's as talented as any of them. They're just ahead of him at the moment.

You can thank Burke for that. He put extreme pressure on Rielly when he said if they were picking 1st OA, they would have picked Morgan Rielly. I like Rielly and he has been really impressive under Horachek. When it's all said and done I do think he will be one of the best defenseman in his draft along with Lindholm, Trouba and Maatta.

 

[Sojourn]

Doesn't everyone need a good player do his best? I'm sure Lindholm wouldn't play as a good as he is without Beauchemin or Lovejoy as his partner.

Lindholm doesn't play with Lovejoy. Fowler does. I also think you're proving my point, as Lindholm was saddled with an AHL defenseman earlier this season while Beauchemin was out, and he didn't really miss a beat. Beauchemin makes the pairing better, as he's a good defenseman in his own right who can contribute, but Lindholm was still Lindholm without him.

 

[HanSolo]

Doesn't everyone need a good player do his best? I'm sure Lindholm wouldn't play as a good as he is without Beauchemin or Lovejoy as his partner.

Lindholm has played babysitter for most of the year with Beauchemin out and he still looked almost as good. Some more mistakes arose due to having to cover for the other guy but that makes sense

 

[Bluejaysfan*]

How is he wrong? Can you see into the future?

Can the other poster? He's the one that said Rielly will be a good #2, great #3 at best...

 

[GordieHoweHatTrick]

...gotta agree, as much as I hate the Leafs, Rielly has looked damn good lately...on the flipside, Franson, who's never looked good in his own zone, has looked horrific under Horacek's more structured defensive style...

Of course, Rielly has all the tools to be a really good defenceman, minus the shot, and Franson's only tool is his shot, making him a niche defender (specifically the PP).

 

[HarrisonFord]

Fair enough. For what it's worth, I think people tend to be extreme about him. Even as recently as last season some fans were talking about how he could/should have gone 1st overall, and wasn't just going to be the best defenseman but the best player from the draft. At the other end of the spectrum, you've got people saying he won't amount to much now that he hasn't set the world on fire in his first two seasons. He seems very polarizing, and I wish people would just be patient. He's a talented kid, and I think he can be just as good as players like Lindholm and Trouba. I'd put them ahead of him currently, but who knows what the future will bring? He's as talented as any of them. They're just ahead of him at the moment.

Yup, Burke's very public statement about him being their first overall really didn't help things. I don't know how he could have ranked Rielly over Galchenyuk, but thats just my opinion.

When it comes to defensemen though, not all developmental paths are the same. Some guys jump right into the league, and they look like they've been playing for years. For other defensemen it takes some time. Making the quick transition doesn't mean that they're going to be the best though - look at Tyler Myers. All the best defenders are in their mid to late 20s for a reason, and all of them took longer to get there than others. Rielly's game reminds me a lot of Duncan Keith, and he didn't even make it into the NHL until he was 24, and it took him a few years from there to really be as good as he is now. McDonagh is another example.

Right now as long as I keep seeing improvement as he plays, I'm not worried. He's got all the skills and smarts to be a top pairing D and at this point there's nothing I've seen in his game that tells me he can't become one

 

[leafsgirl12]

Yup, Burke's very public statement about him being their first overall really didn't help things. I don't know how he could have ranked Rielly over Galchenyuk, but thats just my opinion.

When it comes to defensemen though, not all developmental paths are the same. Some guys jump right into the league, and they look like they've been playing for years. For other defensemen it takes some time. Making the quick transition doesn't mean that they're going to be the best though - look at Tyler Myers. All the best defenders are in their mid to late 20s for a reason, and all of them took longer to get there than others. Rielly's game reminds me a lot of Duncan Keith, and he didn't even make it into the NHL until he was 24, and it took him a few years from there to really be as good as he is now. McDonagh is another example.

Right now as long as I keep seeing improvement as he plays, I'm not worried. He's got all the skills and smarts to be a top pairing D and at this point there's nothing I've seen in his game that tells me he can't become one

I Agree and a good sign is he is willing to work hard to get better and stronger. during the off season he did work out alot and he is actually 215 lbs now.

 

[Erik Alfredsson]

Can the other poster? He's the one that said Rielly will be a good #2, great #3 at best...

Well you don't know who is right yet.

 

[tony d]

He's going to be a good 1 for sure and a great building block for the Leafs for the next decade.

 

[Flair Hay]

Couldn't agree with you more Rick, woooooo!

Though he's actually stronger than he looks. He does still struggle a bit with the bigger forwards, but he holds no reservation for trying to get into a puck battle with them, or take a hit from a big guy to make a play. That's the thing Gardiner is really missing

After all those Trouba/Rielly threads I really had every reason to hate on him in my preconceived notions. But when I went to the game live I kept an eye on him. He's one of the guys on the team doing his job to the best of his ability in a hopeless situation.

The Jets are a pretty big team that not many in the NHL are as big as on the wing. I can see him being a lot more effective against the more skill oriented teams. Not to mention he has neither big, two way centers nor a steady partner with size to help him out.

 

[Paradoc]

Lindholm doesn't play with Lovejoy. Fowler does. I also think you're proving my point, as Lindholm was saddled with an AHL defenseman earlier this season while Beauchemin was out, and he didn't really miss a beat. Beauchemin makes the pairing better, as he's a good defenseman in his own right who can contribute, but Lindholm was still Lindholm without him.

Ok my point still stands. You need be paired with good NHL players to do well. There is nothing wrong with that statement, and pairing Rielly with good players will make him the best player possible. The goal is to win after all. You can't possibly carry your team through out the season unless your a generational player.

 

[Paradoc]

Well you don't know who is right yet.

Yeah, I bet you wouldn't say to Ceci if someone was calling him a #3 defenseman.

 

[Cap'n Flavour]

Rielly will do the best with a big physical partner who can handle the front of the net and the boards IMO. Rielly made several great individual efforts where he dodged a forechecker and regrouped; only to have the outlet forward covered or too far ahead of the play.

I don't agree at all. Rielly and Polak haven't been very good together, whereas Rielly and Gardiner have consistently managed 50%+ possession on a team that's otherwise horrible at it - and that's with one of them having to play on their off side.