Player Discussion Morgan Rielly

[Stephen]

Morgan played the 4 most minutes among Leaf defenders in the Stars game. I've been saying for awhile, slotting this guy as our #1 made no sense to me. Is he our 4th best defender no, but he is not a #1 either. Tanev, McCabe and OEL all had more minutes

Rielly is probably a number 3 defenseman by default. If he was properly slotted, you likely don't need to run him out there with your true number one on the top pair, so he could be the stronger partner on your number two unit.

 

[arso40]

Rielly is probably a number 3 defenseman by default. If he was properly slotted, you likely don't need to run him out there with your true number one on the top pair, so he could be the stronger partner on your number two unit.

Good character guy but expensive as hell as a number 3 who’s game is speed and looks slower

 

[TheMadHatTrick]

We need top add another Tanev caliber RD if we're going to have Rielly in the top 4, while keeping Tanev with McCabe.

Tanev really helps cover for Morgan but with McCabe they're Ean elite pair defensively. Rielly with OEL is too unreliable a pair. So we either put Tanev back with Rielly and separate our best pairing, or find another Tanev.

They need a few more RD.

Rielly ---------
McCabe Tanev
OEL ---------

Agreed. But the top pair is Tanev-McCabe. Not sure who we can get until the offseason, but Rielly with Amy of our other D doesn't work.

 

[Martin Skoula]

We need top add another Tanev caliber RD if we're going to have Rielly in the top 4, while keeping Tanev with McCabe.

Tanev really helps cover for Morgan but with McCabe they're Ean elite pair defensively. Rielly with OEL is too unreliable a pair. So we either put Tanev back with Rielly and separate our best pairing, or find another Tanev.


Agreed. But the top pair is Tanev-McCabe. Not sure who we can get until the offseason, but Rielly with Amy of our other D doesn't work.

The problem with Rielly-Tanev or any pick of defensive D partner is that Rielly’s problem isn’t even D zone coverage (not that it’s good) but how often he voluntarily does something to lose the o-zone. If he wasn’t a shinpad sniper and made better decisions offensively he’d have to play a fraction of the defense he currently does. That and he’s not really dangerous offensively until the other team forgets he exists and he sneaks into the circles uncovered, the other team can focus their attention on the forwards and he can’t do much to take advantage of it without giving up position.

Watching the new generation OFDs and Rielly is night and day, you can’t have your only OFD only be effective in the neutral zone and at the circles. The 5F PP is the right call imo, id rather have Nylander and Marner distributing and I’d probably rather have them on the backcheck.

 

[Skullz]

He has been slow to start. Roy would have been awesome in the offseason. A different partner would be a good addition.

 

[arso40]

He has been slow to start. Roy would have been awesome in the offseason. A different partner would be a good addition.

Oels been great but if Roy would have signed here that was a bad signing…..he’s playing better than Rielly but roy would stabilize that pair and we’ve been looking at Roy for a couple years now

 

[WTFMAN99]

I like the guy but I would look to get away from him in the off-season.

Not worth the price and Tree never signed him to that extension but I suspect if anything he'd have a small window of places he'd go to, his parents are in BC.

Maybe Calgary, Vancouver, Seattle and Los Angeles would be acceptable destinations if he were to be willing to waive.

 

[ACC1224]

I like the guy but I would look to get away from him in the off-season.

Not worth the price and Tree never signed him to that extension but I suspect if anything he'd have a small window of places he'd go to, his parents are in BC.

Maybe Calgary, Vancouver, Seattle and Los Angeles would be acceptable destinations if he were to be willing to waive.

Think his wife is from Windsor, so maybe Detroit as well.

IMO, in these cases I think the wife has the greatest say.

 

[thewave]

The Rielly red flag is very concerning. He needs to be better if he wants to keep that A. He looks disinterested and not very good. Let's go Morgan. Stop daydreaming with your wife and kid or they are going to be ashamed at your hockey career and hide from the public.

Do it for the children Mo. Do it for your legacy. Now get your head back in the game.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Think his wife is from Windsor, so maybe Detroit as well.

IMO, in these cases I think the wife has the greatest say.

Detroit actually has a bit of a need at need at LD or defense in general, the quality of their defense after Edvinsson and Seider drops immensely.

I don't know what we're really looking at as a return though...Gustafsson and/or Compher perhaps? Right shot centre is a need.

 

[BraveCanadian]

The Rielly red flag is very concerning. He needs to be better if he wants to keep that A. He looks disinterested and not very good. Let's go Morgan. Stop daydreaming with your wife and kid or they are going to be ashamed at your hockey career and hide from the public.

Do it for the children Mo. Do it for your legacy. Now get your head back in the game.

lol get a grip.. it’s a game, don’t threaten his wife and kids wtf

Besides Rielly makes enough that if Leafs fans are really this classy they can live just fine away from the public eye without a care in the world.

 

[thewave]

lol get a grip.. it’s a game, don’t threaten his wife and kids wtf

Besides Rielly makes enough that if Leafs fans are really this classy they can live just fine away from the public eye without a care in the world.

There was no threat. I said they will be ashamed lol. It's a joke! But he does need to get his ass going and playing well again. It's gone on for over a year now.

I don't want to be one of the fans that sits here and has to say, we would have had that game 7 if Rielly actually performed.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

His struggles are why I was really hoping we could’ve come away with 2 righties on D this offseason. Tanev along with Roy or Pesce would’ve really solidified the back-end. OEL has been solid but he ain’t a righty. Should’ve let Liljegren walk and ignored Hakanpaa to get a deal done.