What is Morgan Rielly

[Cap'n Flavour]

He looked better to start the season. Since coming back from injury he's been bad-to-awful in his own end, though Keefe insisting on pairing him with Holl doesn't help.

 

[Budz]

….my least favourite Leaf.

 

[Leafblooded]

Jim Hughson's corpse will still be pointing out how Reilly's one of the best rovers in the league long after they're both dead and buried

 

[Deez Nuts]

Rielly was absolutely atrocious last night while so much blame is being placed on Holl. At least Holl threw a couple of big hits. Rielly has absolutely no understanding how to play D and his game is regressing. He brings down whichever partner he is paired with.

I just can’t comprehend how so many here consider him a top pairing quality D. Please explain this to me. There is no debate he is way way below average defensively. He brings nothing offensively. In fact, every other D on the team has more goals than him and they are not gifted PP minutes. The only minus player on the team too.

It is no coincidence this team was unstoppable while he was injured and now they are a .500 team. He needs to sit in the press box. I truly believe he is a black hole and the team is better without him. I cringe at the thought of having to watch this plug for another 7 years.

 

[Larcos_Unal]

Ok so if Rielly cannot play D, and his shot isn't good enough to be a forward, is it possible he can play goalie for us?

 

[TDotMassive]

Based solely on this poll, his new contract is fair value.

 

[Stephen]

Maybe it’s the money but he’s sort of morphed himself into a bit of a cherry picker from a defensive POV and this season might be the worst of it. He’s always got one eye for blowing the zone and go stats padding.

 

[Larcos_Unal]

Based solely on this poll, his new contract is fair value.

The only issue with that is you're relying on fans/fanboys to objectively value one of their long time players. You're always going to overvalue what you have especially if you drafted and developed the player.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

He fluctuates between options 2-4 for the most part.

It is hilarious that people think he is a 2nd pairing defenseman though. Just another example of Leafs nation not knowing how to evaluate defensemen...

 

[shaner8989]

He’s been so bad I can’t stand it. Sucks on the pp. sucks in his own zone. Soft. No offense. Not good defensively

 

[JT AM da real deal]

He is a decent offensive/neutral zone player .. he is more like a rover than a D man .. he lines up as a D for faceoffs but really he does not play D when puck drops .. he is really a guy who you have to shelter in playoffs with a defensive minded tough guy who can do da net front and wall jobs defensively .. hopefully Schenn can do it for us .. my guess is he will get all PP time and sheltered offensive zone starts in playoffs and then get off ice quick in transition .. he has some value in his limited capacity

 

[LeafsandSharksfan]

He's a CIA agent working undercover.

Learn the truth at www.MorganRiellyPsyOps.org

 

[CabanaBoy5]

I'd say he is a below average #1 dman having a flawed #3 dman season. You can't sugar coat how truly awful he has been defensively and how pedestrian he's been offensively.

 

[Optimist]

He's a power play killer for sure. I cringe when the puck comes back to him on the PP.

 

[egd27]

I've always like Rielly but IMO he is no longer a good fit on the 1st PP.

 

[CelticDruid]

Not worth 7.5.
Terrible contract for what he is.

 

[m1ker]

Keefe needs to grow some balls and scratch him

 

[LeafGrief]

Voted below average #1, but I think more accurately he is a non traditional #1. Doesn’t play #1D, but is strong offensively and game-breaking in transition. He tilts the ice in our favour 23 minutes a night, and that’s #1 impact. He’s not a point producer like a #1 offensive guy in the mold of Karlsson or Hughes, but he lugs the puck up ice to our stats and it makes a huge difference.

I think he’s one of the most important players on our team, on and off the ice, and we’re lucky to have him. I gladly accept the defensive warts, that’s why we’ve got five other guys to do that lifting. The Rielly-Brodie pair is brilliant.

 

[Community]

Rielly was absolutely atrocious last night while so much blame is being placed on Holl. At least Holl threw a couple of big hits. Rielly has absolutely no understanding how to play D and his game is regressing. He brings down whichever partner he is paired with.

I just can’t comprehend how so many here consider him a top pairing quality D. Please explain this to me. There is no debate he is way way below average defensively. He brings nothing offensively. In fact, every other D on the team has more goals than him and they are not gifted PP minutes. The only minus player on the team too.

It is no coincidence this team was unstoppable while he was injured and now they are a .500 team. He needs to sit in the press box. I truly believe he is a black hole and the team is better without him. I cringe at the thought of having to watch this plug for another 7 years.

Yes, let's judge our offensive dman by goals instead of points... makes sense! FYI there are only 15 defensemen with double digit goals (aka rare).

He's having a down season and is still top 30 in points per game (aka low-tier #1Dman offensive production during a bad year). While he does get the most powerplay time for Leafs defense, he's #30th league wide per game among defensemen so its not like he's getting a ridiculous amount of PP time.

Plus/minus is a silly stat. JT and Kampf are having good seasons and are both +1. Most people think Kerfoots having a terrible season and he's +11.

Bolded is factually incorrect:
- Rielly, Timmins, Holl, Brodie, and McCabe each have 2g, Liljegren and Giordano with 5/4.
- The Leafs are 15-9-2 since his return (101pt pace). Not nearly as drastic as this 50-50 you're pushing.
- ZAR is a -6.


There's a difference between he's having a down year/poor stretch and what some people are throwing around in this thread.

Why does everybody need to use so many exaggerations? Ridiculous when you'll all jump back onto the next whipping boy once Riellys production returns to his normal.


I'll keep reiterating this until it's untrue, he has always been better in the playoffs than regular season and that's what the Leafs need more than anything else. You'd think people would rate playoff performances more than regular season for this team by now...

 

[IPS]

The hallmark ability of a #1D should be a D who can face any matchup or any situation and either break even or come out on top.

Rielly can't and never has been able to do this so thus I do not and have never considered him a #1D.

 

[Apotheosis]

He's never been a number 1. Let's not kid ourselves. He's a high end number 2-3 that is miscast.

 

[Deez Nuts]

Yes, let's judge our offensive dman by goals instead of points... makes sense! FYI there are only 15 defensemen with double digit goals (aka rare).

He's having a down season and is still top 30 in points per game (aka low-tier #1Dman offensive production during a bad year). While he does get the most powerplay time for Leafs defense, he's #30th league wide per game among defensemen so its not like he's getting a ridiculous amount of PP time.

Plus/minus is a silly stat. JT and Kampf are having good seasons and are both +1. Most people think Kerfoots having a terrible season and he's +11.

Bolded is factually incorrect:
- Rielly, Timmins, Holl, Brodie, and McCabe each have 2g, Liljegren and Giordano with 5/4.
- The Leafs are 15-9-2 since his return (101pt pace). Not nearly as drastic as this 50-50 you're pushing.
- ZAR is a -6.


There's a difference between he's having a down year/poor stretch and what some people are throwing around in this thread.

Why does everybody need to use so many exaggerations? Ridiculous when you'll all jump back onto the next whipping boy once Riellys production returns to his normal.


I'll keep reiterating this until it's untrue, he has always been better in the playoffs than regular season and that's what the Leafs need more than anything else. You'd think people would rate playoff performances more than regular season for this team by now...

Yes, let's judge our offensive dman by goals instead of points... makes sense! FYI there are only 15 defensemen with double digit goals (aka rare).

He's having a down season and is still top 30 in points per game (aka low-tier #1Dman offensive production during a bad year). While he does get the most powerplay time for Leafs defense, he's #30th league wide per game among defensemen so its not like he's getting a ridiculous amount of PP time.

Plus/minus is a silly stat. JT and Kampf are having good seasons and are both +1. Most people think Kerfoots having a terrible season and he's +11.

Bolded is factually incorrect:
- Rielly, Timmins, Holl, Brodie, and McCabe each have 2g, Liljegren and Giordano with 5/4.
- The Leafs are 15-9-2 since his return (101pt pace). Not nearly as drastic as this 50-50 you're pushing.
- ZAR is a -6.


There's a difference between he's having a down year/poor stretch and what some people are throwing around in this thread.

Why does everybody need to use so many exaggerations? Ridiculous when you'll all jump back onto the next whipping boy once Riellys production returns to his normal.


I'll keep reiterating this until it's untrue, he has always been better in the playoffs than regular season and that's what the Leafs need more than anything else. You'd think people would rate playoff performances more than regular season for this team by now...

No matter how you slice it Rielly is absolutely dreadful in the defensive end and has zero understanding how to play defence. He never wins board battles, is soft as they come and has a very low IQ. The team bleeds goals whenever he is on the ice and this has been a constant his entire career.

For someone who is supposedly good offensively, he is terrible on the PP and is no quarterback. All of his points are secondary assists and he gets fed PP minutes and plays regularly with a potent group of forwards. Considering these factors being top 30 in ppg isn’t anything special. You would think if Holl and the rest of the D on the team can score at least 2 goals, why can’t our supposed offensively dynamic #1D have more? I guarantee if Sandin was given Rielly’s minutes and opportunities he would have way better point production than Rielly currently has.

Considering Rielly is neither good offensively or defensively it is really a no brainer that this guy is not a top pairing caliber defender.

Rielly missed 15 games in total I believe so your 101 pace is wrong.

While I agree plus/minus is a flawed stat it is strange how every other defender has such positive plus minus, most in double digits while Mo is -3.

 

[Moonman]

I think he's a huge liability out there. He is clueless on defense.

 

[IPS]

Yes, let's judge our offensive dman by goals instead of points... makes sense! FYI there are only 15 defensemen with double digit goals (aka rare).

He's having a down season and is still top 30 in points per game (aka low-tier #1Dman offensive production during a bad year). While he does get the most powerplay time for Leafs defense, he's #30th league wide per game among defensemen so its not like he's getting a ridiculous amount of PP time.

Plus/minus is a silly stat. JT and Kampf are having good seasons and are both +1. Most people think Kerfoots having a terrible season and he's +11.

Bolded is factually incorrect:
- Rielly, Timmins, Holl, Brodie, and McCabe each have 2g, Liljegren and Giordano with 5/4.
- The Leafs are 15-9-2 since his return (101pt pace). Not nearly as drastic as this 50-50 you're pushing.
- ZAR is a -6.


There's a difference between he's having a down year/poor stretch and what some people are throwing around in this thread.

Why does everybody need to use so many exaggerations? Ridiculous when you'll all jump back onto the next whipping boy once Riellys production returns to his normal.


I'll keep reiterating this until it's untrue, he has always been better in the playoffs than regular season and that's what the Leafs need more than anything else. You'd think people would rate playoff performances more than regular season for this team by now...

As far as playoffs go I can't argue that. For as much as I shit on him this season it's always important to remember he can be the best player for us in the playoffs. We didn't choke against Montreal and Columbus because of him, if everyone showed up like him we win those series. But even you have to admit that it's frustrating seeing his horrible defensive lapses during the season.

 

[Stephen]

I think he's a huge liability out there. He is clueless on defense.

This season, his biggest asset has been the having the endurance to run around like a chicken with its head cut off for over 20 minutes. Just pure, unadulterated chaos on defense, mediocre offense and poor special teams.