Player Discussion Morgan Rielly

[Stephen]

For a decade we've been talking about finding a player to play with Morgan Rielly, but his sputtering offense, terrible special teams contributions on the powerplay, inconsistent and sloppy defensive play, that daydreaming sequence in the Game 7 OT loss to Boston, I don't think he's part of a winning recipe.

We have to find a defenseman who can supplant him in the "number one" role that will bump him down the roster, and with his cap being what it is, he's really not a guy who can be locked in till 2029-30 with a NMC.

What a disappointing player.

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[wingman75]

Seems fairly clear that his performance in last years playoffs was an aberration. Unfortunate.

 

[TMLife17]

For a decade we've been talking about finding a player to play with Morgan Rielly, but his sputtering offense, terrible special teams contributions on the powerplay, inconsistent and sloppy defensive play, that daydreaming sequence in the Game 7 OT loss to Boston, I don't think he's part of a winning recipe.

We have to find a defenseman who can supplant him in the "number one" role that will bump him down the roster, and with his cap being what it is, he's really not a guy who can be locked in till 2029-30 with a NMC.

What a disappointing player.

Let Marner walk and we can afford someone to push him into the #2 role. We need a horse back there.

It’s not Morgan’s fault we decided to pay our ENTIRE defence core less than 15M. That’s the f***ing joke here.

Invest in D and G and we can go somewhere.

Oh and Fire Keefe and Shanahan ASAP

 

[Eternal Leaf]

He's had many good playoff series but man he was absolutely brutal this time around. Just a step too slow and odd decision-making from start to finish.

It's obvious he needs a #1 D to support him. He was never capable of handling that responsibility and it will only get harder now as he begins to lose a step.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

He sucks but is locked up until 2030, we're stuck with him

 

[Kurtz]

He didn't look the same since coming back from injury this year.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

This was his worst series to date. Just absolutely nothing offensively or in terms of puck movement. He and Boosh didn't get scored on a ton but hoo boy did he pick a great time for Boston to exploit him tonight in Game 7, on for both goals against.

I don't know if he was hurt or what. You could probably get something for him in a trade but he's got a NMC. Would be hard to convince him to waive. Don't think he's as sick of this city and franchise as Mitch, and the vitriol towards him isn't anywhere close to the same level.

 

[Bomber0104]

How do you get a better defenceman than Rielly?

It's a legitimate question.

Not sign Tavares and sign Pietrangelo?

Not trade all of your first and second picks away like Dubas did?

The few ones that he kept he chose Rasmus Sandin and Roly Poly Olly from Finland who are 5'11 or less?

 

[dubey]

Garbage man

Forever and always

 

[ThrowDemTongs]

His best play of the year was smoking that Ottawa goof (i literally don't know any of their players' names) and getting suspended

 

[ashs]

He has a no trade clause till 2028

 

[IPS]

All series long I honestly felt more comfortable with Lyubhskin having to handle the man on man situations. Rielly showed some really poor form this series.

He also has to be the worst PP defensemen in the league, nothing even remotely threatening comes from him.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

For a decade we've been talking about finding a player to play with Morgan Rielly, but his sputtering offense, terrible special teams contributions on the powerplay, inconsistent and sloppy defensive play, that daydreaming sequence in the Game 7 OT loss to Boston, I don't think he's part of a winning recipe.

We have to find a defenseman who can supplant him in the "number one" role that will bump him down the roster, and with his cap being what it is, he's really not a guy who can be locked in till 2029-30 with a NMC.

What a disappointing player.

I love Rielly, but he struggled recently. He was awesome last year. He can't be that every year. He's not your typical #1. I don't mind the OP's sentiment. We definitely need more defense and a lot better than what we have.

 

[likecheese]

If they can sell him off for any return before that contract turns into a bigger anchor than it already is, do it now.

 

[yubbers]

He was hot garbage since coming back from suspension and seemed to just get worse.

 

[Darch]

For 10 years I've been saying this guy should be a winger, not a D. Simple as that.

 

[Darcy Tucker]

He was playing with an injury it felt like. No where near as fast or dynamic as in the past. His skating just wasn't there.

 

[Stephen]

I love Rielly, but he struggled recently. He was awesome last year. He can't be that every year. He's not your typical #1. I don't mind the OP's sentiment. We definitely need more defense and a lot better than what we have.

He’s not a number one defenseman or a number two defenseman. To me, he’s kind of a Jake McCabe level second pair with way less physicality and doesn’t have the offensive excellence, transition game or special teams to smooth over the defensive sloppiness. His foot speed is also getting worse and worse. And it’s like his decision making slows down as his feet slow down.

 

[ashs]

The best at shooting and hitting shins

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Finding a true top pairing defenseman is a tall task. If you don't draft them high or find a diamond in the rough it's difficult. Doesn't help that so much draft capital under Hunter and Dubas was spent on shorties like Dermott, Sandin, Liljegren, Hollowell, Durzi, and Niemela. Not saying you need to be a behemoth to be an effective top pair defenseman but if they don't have high end skill like Makar, Hughes, or Heiskanen their likely impact is minimal. Benoit just fell into our lap and he was excellent this series, better than Sandin and Dermott ever were for us.

There's the free agent market. Pesce might be the best option given his handedness and he may be relatively cheap. Tanev is there too but he's up there in age, should've signed him instead of Brodie four years ago. Montour is the big name but he'll probably want to remain in Florida.

Maybe we can use Marner as bait to acquire a defenseman. Again gotta convince him to waive his NMC but they've gotta try.

 

[DuklaNation]

Rielly was an actual pylon on that Pastrnak goal. No man's land.

 

[djdev]

an offensive defenseman who cant or run a PP and isnt noticeble on offense all while being one of our worst defensive dman. yeeeee, no.

i love him, but i think he needs to go too.

 

[Stephen]

Rielly was an actual pylon on that Pastrnak goal. No man's land.

His little stick check there was gutless. Like you couldn’t body the guy and went to play the puck with the deke already complete? Just gutless.

The best thing he ever did this year was take a spazz out suspension. Team went on a heater without him on the ice.

 

[Cap'n Flavour]

He got deked out effortlessly by Justin Brazeau. lol.

an offense defenseman who cant or run a PP and isnt noticeble on offense all while being one of our worst defensive dman. yeeeee, no.

i love him, but i think he needs to go too.

Go where, collect his paycheque for the next 6 years?

 

[Superstar]

How do you get a better defenceman than Rielly?

It's a legitimate question.

Not sign Tavares and sign Pietrangelo?

Not trade all of your first and second picks away like Dubas did?

The few ones that he kept he chose Rasmus Sandin and Roly Poly Olly from Finland who are 5'11 or less?

Dubas could have signed Pietrangelo and traded Marner when he had the chance...alas, it's Dubas we're talking about though...the guy has messed up this Leaf franchise as GM, and will take some shrewd tinkering by Treliving to right the ship.