Speculation: Morgan Rielly (Reporting to Marlies march 20th!) 2nd Star in Debut

[Snip Genos]

Cant wait to see Rielly play for the Marlies! I bet he gets more ice time than he did with Canada at the WJC.

 

[Nasty Nazem]

Dont you think it will be better for Percey's development to 20+ mins a night and dominate guys his own age than be a healthy scratch or play 10-12 mins a night with the Marlies.

I think he would get more minutes than that. He did have some experience last year with the Marlies and looked fine... but I do see your point.

Personally, I'd prefer seeing him face tougher competition than dominating in a league you already are. You learn a lot more from the struggles.

 

[Duke Silver]

I think he would get more minutes than that. He did have some experience last year with the Marlies and looked fine... but I do see your point.

Personally, I'd prefer seeing him face tougher competition than dominating in a league you already are. You learn a lot more from the struggles.

Percy is dominating the O?

 

[Myke]

Anyone thinking he would come to the NHL is crazy, not to mention Jake Gardiners agents head would explode. I wouldnt expect any #FreeRielly tweets from Riellys agent.

He will get some pro experience and then probably be back to his home team again next season. No rush here.

 

[david999]

Anyone thinking he would come to the NHL is crazy, not to mention Jake Gardiners agents head would explode. I wouldnt expect any #FreeRielly tweets from Riellys agent.

He will get some pro experience and then probably be back to his home team again next season. No rush here.

Don't be so sure. I believe Rielly has the same agent as Gardiner.

 

[Razz]

Anyone thinking he would come to the NHL is crazy, not to mention Jake Gardiners agents head would explode. I wouldnt expect any #FreeRielly tweets from Riellys agent.

He will get some pro experience and then probably be back to his home team again next season. No rush here.

Agreed he is going to the Marlies. Seriously doubt he goes back to junior next year though. Kid will likely make the team next year. Heck he would have this year if not for the brief camp.

Rielly buried on a bottom feeder WHL team, bad idea.

This Marlie run will be huge for learning the pro game.

 

[calcal798]

Don't be so sure. I believe Rielly has the same agent as Gardiner.

Not that I liked the tweet, I think it is very arrogant. Rielly is 18 and just got drafted, Gardiner is 22 and already has a full season where he was on the all rookie team. Slight difference there.

 

[Doug Gilmour]

This is gonna be great for Rielly. Start playing with the pro's and learn the game from Dallas Eakins.

 

[NIKO G]

Why are some people saying let him go back and play in the WHL next year? The kid is almost NHL ready he doesn't need to go back to juniors, He should be placed on the Marlies and should remain with the Marlies until he's ready for the NHL.

 

[rojac]

Why are some people saying let him go back and play in the WHL next year? The kid is almost NHL ready he doesn't need to go back to juniors, He should be placed on the Marlies and should remain with the Marlies until he's ready for the NHL.

I'm pretty sure that he has to go back to Juniors if he doesn't make the Leafs. It's part of the CHL-NHL agreement.

 

[SprDaVE]

Why are some people saying let him go back and play in the WHL next year? The kid is almost NHL ready he doesn't need to go back to juniors, He should be placed on the Marlies and should remain with the Marlies until he's ready for the NHL.

Why is it so black and white? Why deal in absolutes? Only a sith does that.

If Rielly impresses next year, he'll stay with the Leafs. If he doesn't prove that he can play in the NHL next year, for whatever the reason, he'll go back to the WHL to keep working on his game. Simple really.

For the record, Rielly cannot join the Marlies next year as he won't be 20 years old before December 31st nor has he played 4 complete seasons in the CHL. He can join the Marlies now because his WHL season is over.

So again, I'm not sure how people can say he NEEDS to stay with the Leafs next year, or the other way around. There's no right or wrong answer.

 

[JackJ]

Why are some people saying let him go back and play in the WHL next year? The kid is almost NHL ready he doesn't need to go back to juniors, He should be placed on the Marlies and should remain with the Marlies until he's ready for the NHL.

Rules prevent him from starting with the Marlies next season.

Requirements to qualify for the AHL are either 20 years of age or four years in junior. Imports who have played one year of pro overseas or in the US (NCAA) are allowed to enter the league at 19.

 

[WTFMAN99]

I would really like to give Reilly his full CHL experience then look at adding him to the Leafs.

 

[deleteme24]

Anyone thinking he would come to the NHL is crazy, not to mention Jake Gardiners agents head would explode. I wouldnt expect any #FreeRielly tweets from Riellys agent.

He will get some pro experience and then probably be back to his home team again next season. No rush here.

No way Rielly goes back to junior next year. He's playing in Toronto for sure.

 

[Stephen]

I would really like to give Reilly his full CHL experience then look at adding him to the Leafs.

I would let him play with the Marlies and see how he does at training camp before making any such decision.

If every team automatically sent every kid back to juniors without an honest evaluation, no one would have a rookie Patrick Kane, Jeff Skinner, Tyler Seguin, Gabriel Landeskog, etc.

Maybe it never hurt a kid to go back to juniors, but it certainly doesn't do your franchise any favours if the kid can actually contribute in the NHL.

 

[mikebel111*]

looking forward to seeing reilly and percy with marlies
reilly has a good chance to make big club next season.

really excited

 

[Parkdale]

No way Rielly goes back to junior next year. He's playing in Toronto for sure.

If Rielly is lights out good and one of the top four D in next year's training camp he should stick with the Leafs, otherwise it's better to send him back to the juniors.

 

[Sundinisagod]

No way Rielly goes back to junior next year. He's playing in Toronto for sure.

Not even close to being "for sure".

 

[Pyrophorus]

I would love to see him and Jake paired together if just for the PP.

 

[Hero]

Percy is dominating the O?

I wouldn't say so.

He's definitely done in the OHL though, you could see this year didn't have much more room to grow in the OHL.

 

[legendinblue]

Great news IMO.

 

[thatshype]

I would let him play with the Marlies and see how he does at training camp before making any such decision.

If every team automatically sent every kid back to juniors without an honest evaluation, no one would have a rookie Patrick Kane, Jeff Skinner, Tyler Seguin, Gabriel Landeskog, etc.

Maybe it never hurt a kid to go back to juniors, but it certainly doesn't do your franchise any favours if the kid can actually contribute in the NHL.

But what about the rookies that played in their rookie years and ended up severely overmatched? At best, you end up with a Grigorenko-scenario where the kid can't cut it in the NHL but you burn a year of his contract (a pricey mistake), and at worst you end up quasi-ruining the kid.

Look at Viktor Tikhonov. He played 61 games in his rookie year. He hasn't even sniffed the NHL since that year, has had unimpressive AHL numbers, and is now playing his second consecutive year in the KHL. It's possible that we may never see Tikhonov in the NHL again. Similar thing happened to Filatov.

Granted it's tough to compare Tikhonov to a CHL player since he never did junior here, but you can't help but wonder if the Coyotes would have been better off talking him into coming to NA as a CHL-import instead of as an NHL rookie.

 

[Stephen]

But what about the rookies that played in their rookie years and ended up severely overmatched? At best, you end up with a Grigorenko-scenario where the kid can't cut it in the NHL but you burn a year of his contract (a pricey mistake), and at worst you end up quasi-ruining the kid.

What do you mean, at best you have a Grigorenko? At best, you have a 19 year old top five pick like Gabriel Landeskog coming in, winning a Calder and being named captain of your franchise...

Rielly already won't be coming in fresh after his draft, so I'm not sure why you're so insistent on babying him before you've even seen what he can do at the AHL level and full training camp...

Look at Viktor Tikhonov. He played 61 games in his rookie year. He hasn't even sniffed the NHL since that year, has had unimpressive AHL numbers, and is now playing his second consecutive year in the KHL. It's possible that we may never see Tikhonov in the NHL again. Similar thing happened to Filatov.

Granted it's tough to compare Tikhonov to a CHL player since he never did junior here, but you can't help but wonder if the Coyotes would have been better off talking him into coming to NA as a CHL-import instead of as an NHL rookie

So you think Rielly might bolt to the KHL?

Look at Thomas Hickey. The guy's been in the minors for years, didn't help his development much either...

Rielly needs to be handled based on what he shows on the ice. That's really all there is to it. If you're building a meritocracy, the best players have to have a spot regardless of age, apprenticeship history, or fear of failure. If you think it's a good idea to just put scrubs ahead of highly talented kids, just look at how Kadri has blossomed when they got rid of some road blocks.

Just because the Leafs are completely inept developing prospects doesn't mean that long term stints in the AHL and sophomore slumps happen to everyone...

 

[Warden of the North]

I wish Moose Jaw would trade him to a decent team (next season). Sucks that he wont get to compete for a Memorial Cup

 

[TheBigThree]

Cant wait to see Rielly play for the Marlies! I bet he gets more ice time than he did with Canada at the WJC.

I know man! Can't wait to watch him play.