What Number D is Morgan Rielly THIS SEASON?

[rent free]

You called him a top pairing but not a 1D - what qualifies for a 1D? Being an elite, top tier 1D? So all lower, bottom tier #1D's aren't real 1D's?

Top pairing means a #1 or #2.

 

[PensandCaps]

Defensively? He might be.

LOLOL

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Defensively? He might be.

Here's another great example of why you don't want to use +/-

 

[wintersej]

#1 on one of the worst defensive teams in the league. He is a #1 like Phaneuf was.

But, he is better than that. Top 30D? Maybe. Probably even. But far from being a good #1 SO FAR.

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

Interesting question. To me, he's a low-end #1, who is trending upward.

The same question can be asked for Gardiner, who averages more TOI, has similar defensive metrics, and slightly less defensive zone starts. Who I suppose can be considered a #2.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

How is he a 1D if he's 4th among leafs defensemen in ice-time per game?

 

[7even]

What does this even mean?

That he's a #1D but not Drew Doughty. It's like saying Backstrom is a high end top line C but not a #1C because he's not Malkin. Some people feel the need to go out of the way to make the distinction.

 

[Pay Carl]

If you have to ask, you probably already know the answer

 

[Lemontree]

Top pairing dman.

 

[Werewolf]

In Tampa he'd be like a #4.

 

[lifelonghockeyfan]

You know there is no such a thing as # 1, # 2 etc. Sure some players play a little more than other due to more PP time or more PK time, so these players are obviously more important to their teams. But when you're on the ice, you're the the most important Dman on the teams. So, if you want to rate players by ice time, every team has Dmen ratings from # 1 to # 6.
Similarly in baseball, folks have this stupid rating system for starting pitchers. Four of the five starting pitchers have the same number starts, so really how can there be any really distinction in their value when they are on the mound.

 

[LeafGrief]

Leafs fan chiming in to disagree.

Jake Gardiner's got one less point, but 16 more PIM and the +/- difference between the two is +13 to Gardiner. Last season Gardiner had 43 points to Reilly's 27 and Gardiner was + 24 to Reilly's -20. Let's bump Reilly up to -17 and 30 points for conversation sake given he played six less games than Gardiner, the point remains, if it's hate to say Reilly isn't a number one defenceman, what is it that says Gardiner isn't also a number one defenceman and at that, a better number one than Reilly?

Presently, Gardiner and Reilly are 17th and 18th in scoring, so in that regard, I think one could argue that they're top scoring defenceman. And perhaps we're splitting hairs, but when I think of a number one defenceman, I think of players that have monumental impact towards a team's ultimate success. I don't think the term "number one defenceman" is something akin to the rest of the order, and that's at every position. This to say, there are very few instrumental number one goalies, number one centers and number one defensemen. There certainly are a number of "number one" positions on every NHL team that provide an exceptional service to their club and if they were on other clubs might have a different impact on a club's ultimate success.

But does that sound like Morgan Reilly at this moment in his career? Or Jake Gardiner?

I can tell you this, again as a Leafs fan...I can't recall a better playoffs performance by any Leafs defender short of the Quinn era than the beast mode Jake Gardiner affected in our infamous playoffs series (loss) against the Bruins. So if I were pressed to identify our club's number one defenceman, it's Jake Gardiner.

Doesn't mean Reilly won't become a number one D, but to call Reilly one is to ignore what Jake Gardiner's done as a Toronto Maple Leaf.

Reilly plays against far tougher competition than Gardiner does. Every single time Babcock sees the opponent's best on the ice, it's Rielly and Hainsey over the boards and Gardiner onto the bench. Not only is Rielly outscoring Gardiner this year (albeit barely, with one more point in six less games) he has better CF against far tougher competition. I'm a big Gardiner fan too and Gardiner's "beast mode" is a sight to behold, but there is no doubt in the coach's mind who the Leafs' #1 guy is.

Rielly is not only a #1 defenseman in the league, he is a pretty good one. Gardiner is enormously underrated both in the Leafs community and on HF as a whole, but he does not do what Rielly does. I think he's a good #3 who has flashes of #1 brilliance, but those are sadly only flashes.

 

[Prairie Habs]

You called him a top pairing but not a 1D - what qualifies for a 1D? Being an elite, top tier 1D? So all lower, bottom tier #1D's aren't real 1D's?

He's 4th on his team among D for TOI and 6th among D (4th among regular D) for SH TOI. That's not the hallmark of a 1D.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

In Tampa he'd be like a #4.

he's better than everyone but Hedman

 

[Lemontree]

In Tampa he'd be like a #4.

Name the other 2 who are better. Hedman is a slam dunk.

 

[SotasicA]

He has become a legit first pair d-man.

Either a bottom end #1 or a premier #2, it's subjective. Went with #1, because I'd rather overrate than underrate a guy.

 

[Narow]

Pull up your phonenumber and there you have it. Hurr durr

He is well on his way to an offensive 1d he might even be there allready but ill leave it up to those who are better at evaluating defencemen than me.

 

[joe dirte]

easily a number 1 this season. not as top notch as he was earlier in the season, when he was playing a top 10 or 15 dman, but still numver 1 this season.

 

[leafsfan1234]

#1 on one of the worst defensive teams in the league. He is a #1 like Phaneuf was.

But, he is better than that. Top 30D? Maybe. Probably even. But far from being a good #1 SO FAR.

One of the worst defensive teams in the league that has also somehow managed to allow the 10th fewest goals eh?

 

[1specter]

Among #1Ds, Rielly has the 4th highest percentage of D zone starts, while having the highest level of competition and maintains a very high corsi rel.

That's ignoring the fact that he will finish the year with close to 50 points. He's a #1D this year or any year moving forward.

Lol at 2D or below

 

[Tralfamadore]

I think he gets underarrated on here because he's not necessarily a top 15 D in the league but this year's he's been the #1 guy on what's nearly a top 5 team in the league so...

 

[Sojourn]

One of the worst defensive teams in the league that has also somehow managed to allow the 10th fewest goals eh?

I thought Andersen deserved Vezina consideration, and the amount of scoring chances they gave up was a strong reason for this?

I feel like people should stop switching back and forth on their arguments.

I don't think Toronto is any more than an average defensive team, and that's being generous. They benefit from their offense, which also helps keep pucks out of their net, but when it comes to the pure defensive game I really don't think they are that good.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

I thought Andersen deserved Vezina consideration, and the amount of scoring chances they gave up was a strong reason for this?

I feel like people should stop switching back and forth on their arguments.

I don't think Toronto is any more than an average defensive team, and that's being generous. They benefit from their offense, which also helps keep pucks out of their net, but when it comes to the pure defensive game I really don't think they are that good.

we rank 1 spot behind Tampa and their vezina caliber goalie in goals against per game. They're at 2.76, we're at 2.8

 

[Sojourn]

we rank 1 spot behind Tampa and their vezina caliber goalie in goals against per game. They're at 2.76, we're at 2.8

So?

I don't consider Tampa Bay some defensive juggernaut either. Tampa leads the league in goals scored. Toronto isn't far behind.

 

[AuraSphere]

He was playing like a true #1D before his recent injury.