Morgan Rielly’s rebound,
One big question about the Maple Leafs heading into this season concerned Morgan Rielly: How good is he, really?
The veteran defenceman had been in the Norris Trophy conversation in the 2018-19 season, but just about every part of his game declined in 2019-20.
There were reasons, of course, from inconsistent playing partners to a series of injuries that hobbled his skating — the hallmark of his game.
In the summertime qualifying round against the Blue Jackets, he seemed like he’d returned to full health. And the acquisition of T.J. Brodie as a free agent has given him a reliable playing partner.
Now Rielly is starting to answer that question. And the answer is: Yeah, he’s really good.
“I think he’s skating really well,” said coach Sheldon Keefe. “I think these Oiler games that we’ve played, in particular, he’s played for the most part against (Connor) McDavid, he and Brodie, and that’s a matchup that a year ago he wouldn’t have had.
“Now we’ve given him that and he’s taken that on, and I think he’s done a really good job with it. He’s still played his game offensively, but he’s defended fast and hard and competitive. He’s been really good.”
The Leafs are about as solid on the blue line as they’ve been in some time. The Jake MuzzinJustin Holl pairing has become an elite shutdown pair. Zach Bogosian has played a consistent physical role, while Keefe has rotated Travis Dermott and Mikko Lehtonen on Bogosian’s left side.
Some of Rielly’s numbers are down slightly. He had a goal and six assists in his first nine games, and took a three-game scoring streak into Saturday night against the Oilers in Edmonton. He had 11 points through his first nine games last year and 14 in 2018-19, his best season.
His average ice time of 23:24 ranked 31st in the league, and second to Mitch Marner (23:34) on the team.
He’s been better at getting his shots on net with 20 heading into Saturday, representing 54 per cent of his attempts, according to Hockeyreference.com. Last year, he got 47 per cent through.
He has been possessing the puck more in the offensive zone this year (6:44) and responsible for more zone exits (50), though leading the rush less often, according to Sportlogiq.
He’s also quarterbacking the second-best power play in the league, operating at a remarkable 42.9 per cent through the first nine games.
One area that’s remarkable is how much he joins the forecheck. He gets caught sometimes. That’s the risk of an up-tempo game. But he trusts Brodie and has enough speed to get back himself.
“He’s a huge part of this team,” said Leafs centre Auston Matthews. “When he’s healthy like he is right now, he’s an elite defenceman. Plays a huge role for us. It’s always fun getting out there with him when he’s moving the way he is and the way he can, getting involved on both ends of the ice. It just makes our jobs easier in all three zones.
“He’s been doing an awesome job for us. Like I said, he’s a huge part of this team so obviously we’re very lucky to have him.”