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Morgan Rielly Appreciation Thread.

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Rielly is just starting to be utilized properly and his numbers are going up. Babs had him playing little to no PP time a couple years ago and now he is on a deadly one. If he gets 60pts this year, there should be little debate if the guy is a #1 Dman. He has been getting better each year but detractors will say consistency is key. Following up a 52 pts season with a 60 pts season will go a long way towards quieting those critics.
 
Here it is: Rielly's a terrific D-man. But let's discuss things a little further than one would read in the appreciation thread.

Now we all know Rielly's offensive game is top-notch, but let's look at the other aspects. When you look at the true elite #1D in the league, the minutes played is obviously where we see the biggest discrepancy between them and Rielly. He was 65th in ice-time last year with 21:10 ATOI.

Rielly does not play the PK as much as other #1D's and he doesn't provide the same steady element they do either in the form of playing big minutes. Rielly drastically outperforms the majority of them offensively, but defensively it really is another story.

Now if Rielly truly is an elite #1D, why is our coaching staff not icing him for 25+ minutes a game when we're having a rough night and the other team has us under siege? The truth is, Rielly cannot bring the same defensive element that a guy like Pietrangelo, Doughty, Keith, Chara or that lesser names like Hjalmarrson (of old), Slavin, Morrisey, McDonagh, Orlov, etc...

So, everything on the table: Do you consider Rielly a true elite #1D?
 
It's also worth remembering that many of the guys you cited for their "defensive element" may not be able to match Rielly's offensive capabilities. He's definitely not Drew Doughty, but it's hard to be matched up against a set of cherrypicked attributes of an entire list of defensemen and come out ahead.
 
Phion Keneuf said:
I’d definitely take Rielly over Vas

Easier to get a #1 goalie than a #1 D - which Rielly is.
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oh idk about that

3rd in vezina voting at 23 years of age is a very high bar tender.

and there is nothing "easy" about finding a bona fidas #1 tender, how long have we waited for that?
ask Philly how easy that is or or st loo or calg ,zona,edm,dallas, brother i can go on and on
 
WTFMAN99 said:
Big slap shot is fairly useless now, by the time you've finished your wind up that lane has closed. Chara and Weber are the only guys that can get away with it consistently, part of it I swear is the unwillingness to block their shots. I wouldn't.
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Yeah ,I suppose,but as a kid didn't they practice it at least? If you havn't got one ,you're not gonna use it!
 
IPS said:
Here it is: Rielly's a terrific D-man. But let's discuss things a little further than one would read in the appreciation thread.

Now we all know Rielly's offensive game is top-notch, but let's look at the other aspects. When you look at the true elite #1D in the league, the minutes played is obviously where we see the biggest discrepancy between them and Rielly. He was 65th in ice-time last year with 21:10 ATOI.

Rielly does not play the PK as much as other #1D's and he doesn't provide the same steady element they do either in the form of playing big minutes. Rielly drastically outperforms the majority of them offensively, but defensively it really is another story.

Now if Rielly truly is an elite #1D, why is our coaching staff not icing him for 25+ minutes a game when we're having a rough night and the other team has us under siege? The truth is, Rielly cannot bring the same defensive element that a guy like Pietrangelo, Doughty, Keith, Chara or that lesser names like Hjalmarrson (of old), Slavin, Morrisey, McDonagh, Orlov, etc...

So, everything on the table: Do you consider Rielly a true elite #1D?
Click to expand...

He is not an elite #1 d'man, but he is racking up the points. :thumbu:
 
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IPS said:
Here it is: Rielly's a terrific D-man. But let's discuss things a little further than one would read in the appreciation thread.

Now we all know Rielly's offensive game is top-notch, but let's look at the other aspects. When you look at the true elite #1D in the league, the minutes played is obviously where we see the biggest discrepancy between them and Rielly. He was 65th in ice-time last year with 21:10 ATOI.

Rielly does not play the PK as much as other #1D's and he doesn't provide the same steady element they do either in the form of playing big minutes. Rielly drastically outperforms the majority of them offensively, but defensively it really is another story.

Now if Rielly truly is an elite #1D, why is our coaching staff not icing him for 25+ minutes a game when we're having a rough night and the other team has us under siege? The truth is, Rielly cannot bring the same defensive element that a guy like Pietrangelo, Doughty, Keith, Chara or that lesser names like Hjalmarrson (of old), Slavin, Morrisey, McDonagh, Orlov, etc...

So, everything on the table: Do you consider Rielly a true elite #1D?
Click to expand...

Rielly has not been an elite #1. He has, however, slowly been developing into one. He may never get there, but if the start of this season is an indication, he could.
 
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He’s not elite defensively, but he is pretty good. Defensive IQ/positioning is getting better, to the point where he’s solidly above average. Dude is actually real strong too, very good at winning physical battles. And obviously his elite skating and breakouts are major assets in his own end. He draws tough matchups and does fairly well, is good on the PK, he’s good defensively, though certainly not elite.

Offensively, he’s unquestionably elite. Overall, I don’t think he’s an elite 1D, which I’d define as roughly top 5 in the league, but he’s very much a legit 1D. I have him definitely top 15 in the league, and closing in on top 10. He’s a really, really good player.
 
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IPS said:
Because of the massive whining when I post things like this in an "appreciation thread." '
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We do not need two separate threads. Your claims are baseless as Rielly can not force his coach to play him more. He was money all night tonight and should have been used ahead of his partner to shut things down. He boxed out all night, shut down the rush all night long. Defended behind his partner far to many times.

I recommend you watch other d man who you think are better Defensively as much as you watch Rielly and you will be suprised they are play with far better D partners are not as good as Rielly. If Rielly played on another team he would play more minutes 100%. Like when he played at the world championship and played tons of minutes.
 
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Rielly doesn't play sheltered minutes like a ton of the guys you mentioned, nor did he get as many minutes on the PP as they did. Rielly also does not have the star power behind him (or beside him) like the guys you listed and a large number of forwards in front of him are either new to the league, not defensively sound or both. Rielly isn't perfect but he is somewhere in the top 60 or top 30 defensemen in the league.
 
diceman934 said:
We do not need two separate threads. Your claims are baseless as Rielly can not force his coach to play him more. He was money all night tonight and should have been used ahead of his partner to shut things down. He boxed out all night, shut down the rush all night long. Defended behind his partner far to many times.

I recommend you watch other d man who you think are better Defensively as much as you watch Rielly and you will be suprised they are play with far better D partners are not as good as Rielly. If Rielly played on another team he would play more minutes 100%. Like when he played at the world championship and played tons of minutes.
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You come off as very antagonistic here, I wonder why.

"Rielly can not force his coach to play him more."

This makes no sense. Watch the games, we desperately need defensive stability. If Rielly provided the legit defensive stability needed, he would be played more. Babcock is a complete moron with the forward lines but he's very savvy with deployment our defense with the limited resources provided to him. If playing Rielly more would solve some issues, it would have been done.
 
We have to separate the quality from the style here. Rielly is an amazing offensive d-man with an absolutely terrific transition game, who can handle providing all of this despite playing really tough minutes. He's not a #1 in the mold of Slavin, but he is a #1 in the mold of Josi.

What matters is how much he can help us win. If we want more stability, let's get it from the pieces around him instead.
 
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Aintboutdatlyfe said:
Even so he's still not half as good as Rielly is lol
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Really now? I'll agree that 31/31 GM's take Rielly but it's not because he's better defensively. Orlov doesn't put up points but he's a rock defensively and is tough as nails. He's the guy we need playing with Rielly.

Nithoniniel said:
We have to separate the quality from the style here. Rielly is an amazing offensive d-man with an absolutely terrific transition game, who can handle providing all of this despite playing really tough minutes. He's not a #1 in the mold of Slavin, but he is a #1 in the mold of Josi.
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Nashville has the privilege of relegating shutdown duties to Ekholm and play Josi in more favorable minutes relative to his skillset.
 
He kind of reminds me a little of Ian Turnbull. By coincidence, it looks like he might be the man to set a new leafs record for points in a year by a Leafs defenceman. It would be about time. Only 68 points to go.
 
using the way Babcock gives out minutes to evaluate players is a big mistake. Rielly is a good #1 who might make his way to elite
 
CantLoseWithMatthews said:
using the way Babcock gives out minutes to evaluate players is a big mistake. Rielly is a good #1 who might make his way to elite
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Well ok then. How come Rielly doesn't get tasked with more minutes, specifically on the PK? Babcock is a safety-first coach, you know this.
 
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