Morgan Rielly

[Fogelhund]

As the defensemen your the last line of defence he has been anything but that it’s literally his job to play defence

While I'd suggest that doesn't make any sense... does that excuse him from a lack of goals scored by either the 6v5 or the PP?... I mean, that's the job of the offense

 

[arso40]

This is the kind of stuff that makes me wonder why anyone comes here to try to chat hockey (including me). There's next to know rational conversation to be had, everything is just over the top, extreme, zero in between.

We roll out Matty, Mitch, Willy, Johnny, Knies, and Rielly on the 6 on 5. No one on that unit is there to be any line of defence, let along the last one. There are there to possess the puck, put pressure in their zone, and try to get one back. Heck, Rielly is often not even the closest guy to our net. One of the forwards is rushing it like it's a power play (which also sucks), when we're in the zone we're rotating positions like they are suggestions and asking everyone and anyone to pinch down the wings to get to any loose puck.

Rielly might be having a bad year, but his (or anyone's job) on the 6 on 5 is to play defence is just here to troll it This is the kind of stuff that makes me wonder why anyone comes here to try to chat hockey (including me). There's next to know rational conversation to be had, everything is just over the top, extreme, zero in between.

We roll out Matty, Mitch, Willy, Johnny, Knies, and Rielly on the 6 on 5. No one on that unit is there to be any line of defence, let along the last one. There are there to possess the puck, put pressure in their zone, and try to get one back. Heck, Rielly is often not even the closest guy to our net. One of the forwards is rushing it like it's a power play (which also sucks), when we're in the zone we're rotating positions like they are suggestions and asking everyone and anyone to pinch down the wings to get to any loose puck.

Rielly might be having a bad year, but his (or anyone's job) on the 6 on 5 is to play defence is just here to troll it up. We've got a system and/or deployment issue when it comes to the man advantage, not a personnel issue.

Bro the guys a defensemen his job is literally to play d what are you talking about yes on the 6 on 5 Hes out there to tie the game but he’s still a dman wtf?

 

[Ports]

At this point he's a liability on defence, we need a LW so why not? wouldn't hurt to try...

Rielly - Matthews - Marner
Domi - Tavares - Nylander
Knies - McMann - Jarnkrok
Lorentz - Kampf - Laughton

McCabe - Carlo
OEL - Tanev
Benoit - Myers

Stolarz - Woll

Morgan Rielly on the forecheck winning puck battles ? If you think he’s a liability on defense because he’s out of shape, lazy and soft why would you want to put him on the first line ? Just move him to the press box and let him watch for a while and tell him if he doesn’t get in shape and play hard in his own end he’s done as a Leaf. Then we’ll see if he still has the heart to compete for the crest on the front of his sweater.

 

[Ports]

Buying him out doesn't save the team much money and then saddles them with a 2+ mil plenty until 2030.its not really worth it

If they don't try a trade over the summer they'll just see if he rebounds next season

Because of the way his contract is structured It saves them almost $6M on the cap next season and $21M over the next five seasons.

 

[Maple Leaf]

Morgan Rielly on the forecheck winning puck battles ? If you think he’s a liability on defense because he’s out of shape, lazy and soft why would you want to put him on the first line ? Just move him to the press box and let him watch for a while and tell him if he doesn’t get in shape and play hard in his own end he’s done as a Leaf. Then we’ll see if he still has the heart to compete for the crest on the front of his sweater.

He is better than laughton
Put him 3rd line winger

 

[Fogelhund]

If he doesn't find his game before the year is over, we just move him. The cost to get a decent offensive D man, is apparently $9 mil in UFA now. There aren't many available. Rielly had 58 points last year. Chychrun has 43 points so far this year, and Rielly has 34 in a terrible down year. GM's won't look at it as if he is cooked, just that he had a bad year, doesn't fit in Berube's system. We can move him, and while I wouldn't expect a great return, there would be some demand for him. We aren't buying him out.

 

[Martin Skoula]

This is the kind of stuff that makes me wonder why anyone comes here to try to chat hockey (including me). There's next to know rational conversation to be had, everything is just over the top, extreme, zero in between.

We roll out Matty, Mitch, Willy, Johnny, Knies, and Rielly on the 6 on 5. No one on that unit is there to be any line of defence, let along the last one. There are there to possess the puck, put pressure in their zone, and try to get one back. Heck, Rielly is often not even the closest guy to our net. One of the forwards is rushing it like it's a power play (which also sucks), when we're in the zone we're rotating positions like they are suggestions and asking everyone and anyone to pinch down the wings to get to any loose puck.

Rielly might be having a bad year, but his (or anyone's job) on the 6 on 5 is to play defence is just here to troll it up. We've got a system and/or deployment issue when it comes to the man advantage, not a personnel issue.

The last line of defense thing is fair but I’d argue he’s the biggest culprit for wasting offensive zone possessions either missing the net completely or firing a muffin into the goalie’s chest. They’re constantly doing suicide sprints retrieving the puck in their own zone for 2 straight minutes and we’re surprised they get out worked for the empty netter at the end.

 

[Ports]

He is better than laughton
Put him 3rd line winger

I doubt that. He’s played defense his whole life. He won’t have a clue, the conditioning or the skills to play up front.

 

[Ports]

If he doesn't find his game before the year is over, we just move him. The cost to get a decent offensive D man, is apparently $9 mil in UFA now. There aren't many available. Rielly had 58 points last year. Chychrun has 43 points so far this year, and Rielly has 34 in a terrible down year. GM's won't look at it as if he is cooked, just that he had a bad year, doesn't fit in Berube's system. We can move him, and while I wouldn't expect a great return, there would be some demand for him. We aren't buying him out.

Other teams have been watching this guy for years and know all his weaknesses. When he could put up 10 goals / 60 points he had value and his salary could be justified but now that his skating has gone, his production has dropped off and he’s even a bigger tire fire in his own end, his value has cratered. Leafs would need to eat $1-2M for the next five years to move him.

 

[thewave]

Other teams have been watching this guy for years and know all his weaknesses. When he could put up 10 goals / 60 points he had value and his salary could be justified but now that his skating has gone, his production has dropped off and he’s even a bigger tire fire in his own end, his value has cratered. Leafs would need to eat $1-2M for the next five years to move him.

At the rate of decline... Nobody is touching his contract even with 2m being absorbed. He is at buyout level. What's worse is it almost looks intentional

 

[Ports]

At the rate of decline... Nobody is touching his contract even with 2m being absorbed. He is at buyout level. What's worse is it almost looks intentional

He definitely looks like he doesn’t give a s..t. How they keep playing him is a mystery. I guess like all his fans they’re praying he shows up in the playoffs which is the BS narrative that somehow survived his brutal playoffs last season.

 

[Puckstuff]

Interesting stat. Rielly has been on for 16 goals scored into our empty net. The core not only sucks 5 on 4 but they also suck 6 on 5.

That's an interesting stat; it makes me feel slightly better, so thanks for sharing that. However, if you take away the 16 empty-net goals, the Leafs' total +/- differential as a team would rise to +32, and Rielly would be -5. While +/- isn't the greatest stat over one season, I think it's telling when a guy has the highest minus on the team over the last five years by a huge amount. He's playing with Carlo now and he's playing with some of the highest expected goals for players in the world. This should not be a minus player moving forward. Also McCabe-Tanev are taking the hardest matchups which makes it even worse.

 

[Menzinger]

Because of the way his contract is structured It saves them almost $6M on the cap next season and $21M over the next five seasons.
View attachment 999098

AND 10+ million in penalties alone from 2030-2035.

The odds are higher he'll rebound than finding a replacement in the next few years for less than 4 mil.

To me the costs greatly out weigh any benefits

I think there’s a savings of under $4 million for most years until 2030, then you get a penalty from 2031 to 2035, and the cap and inflation increasing might mean you just have 1-2% disposal fee on the books, assuming we are well into the $100 million cap world by then.

If they can use some of his cap savings in the meantime to get a Chychrun or something I don’t think it’s an automatic no that buying him out isn’t an option.

He’s just that bad and the animus is just snowballing with every game he plays.

I just don't see the rush to take on negative cap when the team doesn't need to. Reilly has been awful this season, but I don't think this alone to justify throwing away the rest of his career. A buyout can always happen later

 

[Ports]

AND 10+ million in penalties alone from 2030-2035.

The odds are higher he'll rebound than finding a replacement in the next few years for less than 4 mil.

To me the costs greatly out weigh any benefits



I just don't see the rush to take on negative cap when the team doesn't need to. Reilly has been awful this season, but I don't think this alone to justify throwing away the rest of his career. A buyout can always happen later

The $21M in cap savings over the next five years can pay for a better defenseman. That’s what they’re basically paying McCabe. The team is in win now mode. Who cares if it costs them a couple of million a year starting in 2030-2034 ? By then the cap will be over $125M. He hurts the team. Why keep him ?

 

[Menzinger]

The $21M in cap savings over the next five years can pay for a better defenseman. That’s what they’re basically paying McCabe. The team is in win now mode. Who cares if it costs them a couple of million a year starting in 2030-2034 ? By then the cap will be over $125M. He hurts the team. Why keep him ?

Im skeptical of this being the case, it's only 3.8 million in savings per year for most of them which I'd point out wouldn't be enough to cover McCabes new deal of 4.5 mil.

Rielly had 58 points last year, as bad as this year is I don't see why we need to think he's irredeemable as a player.

I think dead capspace should be avoided at all costs if possible. Not everyone obviously agrees, but just because the cap is rising, doesn't suddenly make it fine that a buyout will give the team wasted cap space for literally a decade....

 

[thewave]

Im skeptical of this being the case, it's only 3.8 million in savings per year for most of them which I'd point out wouldn't be enough to cover McCabes new deal of 4.5 mil.

Rielly had 58 points last year, as bad as this year is I don't see why we need to think he's irredeemable as a player.

I think dead capspace should be avoided at all costs if possible. Not everyone obviously agrees, but just because the cap is rising, doesn't suddenly make it fine that a buyout will give the team wasted cap space for literally a decade....

He stopped skating. Looks out of shape. Can't shoot. Can't make plays, can't defend. Makes too much money.

Outside that he plenty redeemable. He looked good laying on the boards in that commercial.

 

[Ports]

Im skeptical of this being the case, it's only 3.8 million in savings per year for most of them which I'd point out wouldn't be enough to cover McCabes new deal of 4.5 mil.

Rielly had 58 points last year, as bad as this year is I don't see why we need to think he's irredeemable as a player.

I think dead capspace should be avoided at all costs if possible. Not everyone obviously agrees, but just because the cap is rising, doesn't suddenly make it fine that a buyout will give the team wasted cap space for literally a decade....

Not sure what you’re skeptical about. The numbers are the same on Puck Pedia and Cap Wages. Calculating numbers are what those websites do. We don’t agree on Rielly’s value. To me he’s bottom pairing at best on a cup contender and likely in the press box on most. If he comes through in the playoffs I might look more favourably at his contract but right now it’s a boat anchor that I’d throw overboard.

 

[Menzinger]

Not sure what you’re skeptical about. The numbers are the same on Puck Pedia and Cap Wages. Calculating numbers are what those websites do. We don’t agree on Rielly’s value. To me he’s bottom pairing at best on a cup contender and likely in the press box on most. If he comes through in the playoffs I might look more favourably at his contract but right now it’s a boat anchor that I’d throw overboard.

Im not skeptical about the amount of available cap. I'm skeptical of the ability to use that amount more effectively over the summer.

Did you think he was a bottom pairing level guy the previous season?

 

[Ports]

Im not skeptical about the amount of available cap. I'm skeptical of the ability to use that amount more effectively over the summer.

Did you think he was a bottom pairing level guy the previous season?

On a cup contender, yes. There’s a lot of areas they can improve using that cap space and they have a much better record without him in the lineup. I don’t see any downside on not having him on the team.

 

[arso40]

On a cup contender, yes. There’s a lot of areas they can improve using that cap space and they have a much better record without him in the lineup. I don’t see any downside on not having him on the team.

For his money we can get a very good bottom pair

 

[banks]

For his money we can get a very good bottom pair

Do you think a "good bottom pair" player will replace Morgan Rielly?

Rielly leads our defense in points. He's 2nd (only 4 seconds behind 1st) in average time-on-ice/game. And he leads the defense in PP time.

That's not something that can be replaced by a "good bottom pair" guy. Just because he's having a bad year, and struggling with his role as a top pairing player, doesn't mean he's a bottom pairing defenseman. That's ridiculous.

And the team just traded for Carlo, who they clearly see as a partner for Rielly. Carlo is signed for 2 more years after this one. They have no reason to end that pair so quickly without seeing if Carlo is good for Morgs long-term. I have no problem moving on from Rielly if it improves the team. And I can recognize his struggles. But suggesting a buyout is just silly.

And if you're suggesting that the money saved from a buyout will pay for 2 good players to form a new bottom pair, I think you're out to lunch. The 3.8 million in savings won't easily get you much of an upgrade on two Benoit and Hakanpaa types. And if they lose Rielly the hole on the roster won't be the 3rd pair. It will be a 21 minute lefty who can play on the powerplay.

 

[TakeTheBody]

I'd test the waters with a Carlo OEL pairing. They will both have two years remaining on their deals. Might be a decent pairing the next two years. I appreciate Rielly's service over the years but his play is declining. If OEL doesn't work out with Carlo give Rielly another chance.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

 

[WTFMAN99]

If he doesn't find his game before the year is over, we just move him. The cost to get a decent offensive D man, is apparently $9 mil in UFA now. There aren't many available. Rielly had 58 points last year. Chychrun has 43 points so far this year, and Rielly has 34 in a terrible down year. GM's won't look at it as if he is cooked, just that he had a bad year, doesn't fit in Berube's system. We can move him, and while I wouldn't expect a great return, there would be some demand for him. We aren't buying him out.

If he won't waive the NMC, what to do?

 

[Fogelhund]

If he won't waive the NMC, what to do?

There isn't much you can do really. You ask where he might waive to, and if he says no... that's pretty much it. I would think it's probable that he might consider waiving to destinations of his choice, but you'd have to be pretty certain he'd do it, as you don't want the negative fallout either. A buyout isn't very attractive, as the signing bonuses don't get discounted, so it's a pretty big hit.

I guess it depends on your thinking... can we get a better player for that type of savings?

Season Savings Cap Hit
2025-26 $5,866,667 $1,633,333
2026-27 $3,866,667 $3,633,333
2027-28 $3,866,667 $3,633,333
2028-29 $3,866,667 $3,633,333
2029-30 $3,866,667 $3,633,333
2030-31 -$2,133,333 $2,133,333
2031-32 -$2,133,333 $2,133,333
2032-33 -$2,133,333 $2,133,333
2033-34 -$2,133,333 $2,133,333
2034-35 -$2,133,333 $2,133,333