The Toronto Maple Leafs had to be concerned that the departure of Mitch Marner would result in an offensive dropoff this season, as they have been dependent on the “Core Four” group carrying the bulk of their scoring load for most of the last decade.
Through the first six games of the regular season, Toronto is third in the NHL with 22 goals, and part of that excellent production has been the play of defenseman Morgan Rielly.
The longest tenured Maple Leaf had a difficult season adjusting to new head coach Craig Berube’s style of play last season.
Like he has in previous seasons, Rielly cycled through numerous D-partners until it was finally remedied when Leafs GM Brad Treliving acquired Brandon Carlo from the Boston Bruins at the trade deadline.
The right-handed Carlo provided a stable defensive presence for the offense-minded Rielly, who finished with a subpar 41 points last season. However, the 31-year-old did produce in the playoffs, scoring four goals and three assists for seven points.
Rielly’s defensive issues have always been a focal point of criticism, and that was highlighted in Game 7 of their second-round loss to the Florida Panthers when he put up a minus-three rating.
That led to off-season rumors that Treliving would try to get the veteran to waive his no-movement clause.
Instead, he spoke to Rielly after the season about needing more from him. That resulted in him coming to training camp in great shape, with a new attitude, and that has been displayed on the ice, as he appears less tentative and willing to jump into offensive situations.
‘My Goal Was To Leave No Stone Unturned’: How Morgan Rielly’s Summer Could Set Him Up For Success With Maple Leafs
Shortly after the Toronto Maple Leafs were eliminated by the Florida Panthers in May, Morgan Rielly and general manager Brad Treliving sat down to review the year.
“I thought (Morgan) had a really good game, skated well, moved the puck well, good reads, defended well, he was solid,” Berube told reporters after Rielly scored the game-winner against the Montreal Canadiens in the season opener.
“(It) was great to see him have a good game. (There was) a lot of good, and there’s stuff that we’ve got to work on, but we did a good enough job to win the game. I thought our third period was our best period, (we did a) good job protecting the lead, closing it out,” the Leafs’ bench boss added.
His six points put him tied for third in the league among defensemen, behind Cale Makar and Shayne Gostisbehere.
Rielly’s scoring includes goals against the Habs and on Saturday in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Seattle Kraken. The biggest change for Rielly is his return to being the quarterback of Toronto’s power play after Marner took the point of the team’s five-forward power-play unit last season.
The unit with Rielly at the helm has struggled early in the year, going just two for 14, striking at 14.3 percent, which is tied for 24th best in the league.
The blueliner’s lack of a heavy shot from the point has always been a criticism, but in the past, he has made up for that with his excellent playmaking.
The effectiveness of the Leafs on the man advantage will be a significant factor in whether Toronto can have the same level of success they had with Marner in previous seasons and perhaps advance further than they did with him in the playoffs.
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