Player Discussion Morgan Rielly

[Tie Domi Esquire]

He absolutely is. He doesn’t touch anybody in front of the net just flails away at the puck. When was the last time he stood up a forward at the blue line or laid a big hit in the corner ? He weighs 220 lbs but plays like he’s 175.

But Point toe picked into the boards and Rielly shrugged before getting beat up by Kucherov so that means he is tough.

 

[Craig Button]

If rielly is playing like he has now then McCabe

If Rielly bounces back and plays like he has often in the playoffs then pretty easily him

????

 

[hamzarocks]

????

Rielly has 40 pts in 57 playoff games playing 24:36 per game and is a +14

He is a ~24.5 min D-man who gives ~60 pts per 82 in the playoffs.

That is very valuable and great play

 

[Stephen]

You can’t blame him for the OT fire drill vs Boston but it is indicative of his defensive awareness that he did a Pavel Bure lap to the far blueline and then raced back to belly flop and overstate the defensive coverage on the ensuing scramble. It wouldn’t be the Leafs or Morgan Rielly if a blow defensive situation was magnified by a chicken with its head cut off scramble by our number one defenseman. In a bad situation he is unable to help but just magnifies the crazy.

 

[Ports]

Would you rather McCabe at his cap hit or Rielly at his?

McCabe and it’s not even close. Best UFA contract they’ve signed in years.

 

[hamzarocks]

His offense is coming back

Up to 5 pts in 10 games if he doesnt add another one today

 

[Evilhomer]

His offense is coming back

Up to 5 pts in 10 games if he doesnt add another one today

I think he comes close to 70 points this season.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

I don't think you can "blame" Rielly for anything on that play but at the same time the belly flop scramble and sliding past Marchand in full panic wasn't the best way to defend that.

Why a defenseman was so far up the ice and looking to go Pavel Bure with two tired forwards back would be another story.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

That was a dumb, gutless play by Rielly but then again he specializes in those.

He is either scared OR stupid .. honestly when I watch him now after da huge brain fart in OT in last years playoffs I am not sure .. but I am leaning to he is just flat out dumb as you put it .. all he had to do was stay on his feet and push Marchand behind da net after his shot .. there was NO CHANCE his dive was going to get puck from Marchand .. so he must just flat out be DUMB .. da dive accomplished NOTHING except to take him out of da play for da rebound .. DUMB can't be coached .. when I coached I always cut DUMB players 1st .. as there is nothing you can do to help them out

 

[Community]

Rielly has 40 pts in 57 playoff games playing 24:36 per game and is a +14

He is a ~24.5 min D-man who gives ~60 pts per 82 in the playoffs.

That is very valuable and great play

You can also add that beyond the points hes been one of the few players that have done well transitioning from d-zone to o-zone in the playoffs and his 60pt pace is despite our powerplay (and overall offense) being terrible in the majority of our playoff series.

Everybody thinks Nylander has been the best of our top 4 in the playoffs and Rielly has similar career offensive stats (60 vs 65pt pace per 82).

 

[Ports]

He is either scared OR stupid .. honestly when I watch him now after da huge brain fart in OT in last years playoffs I am not sure .. but I am leaning to he is just flat out dumb as you put it .. all he had to do was stay on his feet and push Marchand behind da net after his shot .. there was NO CHANCE his dive was going to get puck from Marchand .. so he must just flat out be DUMB .. da dive accomplished NOTHING except to take him out of da play for da rebound .. DUMB can't be coached .. when I coached I always cut DUMB players 1st .. as there is nothing you can do to help them out

He doesn’t seem too sharp but he is pretty useless defending the net front. Coaches must rip their hair out watching his weak defensive efforts and knowing they have no choice but to play him higher up the lineup. Can’t see a dman who is so soft given much ice time on a true cup contender.

 

[thewave]

He doesn’t seem too sharp but he is pretty useless defending the net front. Coaches must rip their hair out watching his weak defensive efforts and knowing they have no choice but to play him higher up the lineup. Can’t see a dman who is so soft given much ice time on a true cup contender.

He has been awful and needs to wake the F up. He has been good during his career, whatever is going in he needs to fix.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1851063915100455293

 

[Ports]

He has been awful and needs to wake the F up. He has been good during his career, whatever is going in he needs to fix.

Too inconsistent. You never know what you’re gonna get from him.

 

[Puckstuff]

Rielly is an ok #3 D worth 5-6 million that can put up points 5 on 5, move the puck and provide offense. While he’s not great defensively or on the power play he’s not a liability on defense and he’s an ok option on the P.P. He’s just not “elite” at anything and that’s why he’s more of a #3 then a #1 imo. I think he’s worth 5-6 m but is portrayed as an offensive #1.

 

[Gabriel426]

Rielly is an ok #3 D worth 5-6 million that can put up points 5 on 5, move the puck and provide offense. While he’s not great defensively or on the power play he’s not a liability on defense and he’s an ok option on the P.P. He’s just not “elite” at anything and that’s why he’s more of a #3 then a #1 imo. I think he’s worth 5-6 m but is portrayed as an offensive #1.

He is our No.1 Dman as we don't have one for the past 10years. Kind of like not every teams in the league have a true 1C but every teams in the league will have someone playing 1C on their teams.

 

[Maple Leaf]

Rielly has 40 pts in 57 playoff games playing 24:36 per game and is a +14

He is a ~24.5 min D-man who gives ~60 pts per 82 in the playoffs.

That is very valuable and great play

he is alright i guess but can he play defense

 

[Community]

Rielly is an ok #3 D worth 5-6 million that can put up points 5 on 5, move the puck and provide offense. While he’s not great defensively or on the power play he’s not a liability on defense and he’s an ok option on the P.P. He’s just not “elite” at anything and that’s why he’s more of a #3 then a #1 imo. I think he’s worth 5-6 m but is portrayed as an offensive #1.

An ok #3 D?

You honestly think there are 75 better defensemen than Morgan Rielly in the NHL? That's what an ok #3D would be.

He was 9th in ppg last year and is one of the few Leafs that improve during the playoffs.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

People get ridiculous with defensemen in this city. The guy has given us years of solid play...signed a reasonable contract extension with no fuss and the second we get a couple new toys and he has a slow start people are ready to shit all over the guy and act like he is no good anymore. It is such a bad look as a fanbase. The guy is still a really good player and people need to get a grip.

 

[Puckstuff]

An ok #3 D?

You honestly think there are 75 better defensemen than Morgan Rielly in the NHL? That's what an ok #3D would be.

He was 9th in ppg last year and is one of the few Leafs that improve during the playoffs.

I think there's maybe 30-50 or so defensemen I'd take Over Rielly.

Rielly isn't bad I actually think he's a useful player but he's closer to the OEL, Tanev tier more then he is the Josi, Fox tier or even the Hanafin, Ekholm, Slavin tier, IMO.

I like this list of the top 30 d-men.

 

[Maple Leaf]

People get ridiculous with defensemen in this city. The guy has given us years of solid play...signed a reasonable contract extension with no fuss and the second we get a couple new toys and he has a slow start people are ready to shit all over the guy and act like he is no good anymore. It is such a bad look as a fanbase. The guy is still a really good player and people need to get a grip.

I got a grip
Rielly ain't it

 

[thewave]

I got a grip
Rielly ain't it

He is not doing well. Needs to be better. 2 years running.

 

[leafs in five]

I think there's maybe 30-50 or so defensemen I'd take Over Rielly.

Rielly isn't bad I actually think he's a useful player but he's closer to the OEL, Tanev tier more then he is the Josi, Fox tier or even the Hanafin, Ekholm, Slavin tier, IMO.

I like this list of the top 30 d-men.


View attachment 923768

you'd take Karlsson over him?

 

[Community]

I think there's maybe 30-50 or so defensemen I'd take Over Rielly.

Rielly isn't bad I actually think he's a useful player but he's closer to the OEL, Tanev tier more then he is the Josi, Fox tier or even the Hanafin, Ekholm, Slavin tier, IMO.

I like this list of the top 30 d-men.


View attachment 923768

Well first off, being around the 31st-51st best defrnsemen in the league puts you solidly in the average #2D to high end #2. Not an "ok #3".

There's a lot of names I disagree with being better than Rielly, but current Karlsson above Heiskenen and Burns in the top 20 seems outright ridiculous.

In my mind he's firmly in the 16-25 category. A number of defensemen are put too high based on their past achievements in this list (especially Burns) and have not shown to be quality #1Dmen the past few years. A few specific comparisons within the 15-25 range I'd like to point out below:

Hamilton has one season above 50pts, is bad defensively, and has never produced well in the playoffs. Rielly has been better offensively over his career and substantially better in the playoffs.

Hanifin is praised for his transition game despite mediocre defense and offense. Rielly is better in transitioning, better offensively, and not as big of a downgrade defensively as some would make you believe.

Ekblad has been the Panthers #3D the last few years and quite a few of their fans would be happy to see him gone. He has not been good for several years.

 

[Zybalto]

Riellys ranking among the 60ish dmen over the last 3 playoffs with 20+ games:

Goals per game: 2nd
Points per game: 5th
5v5 Goal differential: 3rd

..and that's with the PP being trash.


Take away Rielly, Marner and Matthews and look at what happens to this team 5v5 over the last 3 playoffs:

Rielly 5v5:
Goals for/60: 3.07
Goals against/60: 1.55

Marner 5v5:
Goals for/60: 3.08
Goals against/60: 1.72

Matthews 5v5:
Goals for/60: 2.81
Goals against/60: 2.06

The entire rest of the team without them:
Goals for/60: 1.57
Goals against/60: 3.14

Holy crap the team has sucked outside of these guys 5v5.

We all know the PP has been trash but I dont think thats just on Rielly.

Outside of the PP, Rielly has been one of the best Dmen in the playoffs. His 5v5 goal differential relative his team is insane. By far the best of any player in the playoffs the last 3 years. One of the true "steps it up in the playoffs" dmen in the league.