Morgan Rielly Appreciation Thread.

[Tak7]

I disagree.

Thats totally fine. I respect people might not be on the same page as me here, and I would happily accept being proven wrong should it happen this season.

Good chat, and thanks for keepin it civil

 

[johnny_rudeboy]

Burke was right - he definitely is one of the best players from the draft. Better then picks 1-4 for sure.

That pick has really aged well that is for sure. 2 of the guys selected before him are not even in the NHL and the other two are good players but they both had their issues and not lived up to their best predictions.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Rielly is awesome. he's a true #1 defenseman and he's so fun to watch. I remember him being the lone bright spot on our team a couple of years ago and he did not disappoint

 

[MJ65]

All we need is a partner to play with him. He is such a treat to watch

He is great at moving the puck, getting in offensive zone in timely manner. We need to get him a stay back partner who can be physical in front of the net and can be physical to free up the puck and make some room for Rielly to move around. There is a potential for him to get around 60 or more points this season

 

[diceman934]

But he's not, that's the problem. You can't call him a #1D when he doesn't do #1D things. A true #1D needs more ice-time than Rielly, is better on the PK, plays more time on the PK, and can reliably be matched against other team's star players.

Rielly can not force the coach to play him more. If he was playing on another team he would be getting much more ice time. Our Pk when he played exclusively on it was far better then it is now. He has been matched up against the other teams best players every game with D partners who are not any better then a bottom pair d man any even AHL quality D man.

This man is a #1 D man who is vastly underrated on here by posters who expect perfection and there is no D man in the League that is perfect. He is playing with a boat ankor who gets beat wide with speed on the rush as well as when he steps up on our blue line can not turn and defend. Leaving Rielly to have to protect the ice behind him something his partner can not do for him.

 

[Cor]

9 points in 3 and 2/3 games.

Unreal.

 

[Community]

There's a reason Rielly was the first jersey I got of the current team (Although I'm going to need a few more over the next couple years). He's a fantastic player and is only going to keep getting better. Also seems to have a great head on his shoulder.

Should improve on his point totals once again while playing better defensively this year once again (it looks like he is continually trying to play better defensively, just has to limit his puck watching some times as his rush defense has improved a lot since his rookie years).

 

[DueDiligence]

Rielly is awesome. he's a true #1 defenseman and he's so fun to watch. I remember him being the lone bright spot on our team a couple of years ago and he did not disappoint

He's a good defenseman benefiting from a great set of forwards. A number 2 on most good teams.

 

[Puckstuff]

He's a good defenseman benefiting from a great set of forwards. A number 2 on most good teams.

But the important thing is; he's actually able to play the Kaberle role. He's average defensively and could score 60-70 points playing on that power play. If he ever turns into a stud defensively with a great partner; he could really be a top tier/ top 10 defensmen.

 

[Community]

He's a good defenseman benefiting from a great set of forwards. A number 2 on most good teams.

He's not a #2. He's a solid #1 that was in the ~20th best Dman range coming into this season.

He put up 52pts last year (15th in Dmen PPG) while matching up against top competition. Of the guys that outscored him, I think only 8 or 9 of them played top competition and almost all 15 of them played ~1 min more per game on the PP and all of them got more even strength minutes (with most being easier usage minutes than Rielly).

 

[Boxscore]

If Babcock keeps him on the top PP, Rielly is looking at a 65 point season and could be the new Duncan Keith.

 

[Cor]

9 points in 3 and 2/3 games.

Unreal.

10 points in 4 games.

 

[Atomos2]

Dare I say potential Norris contender?

 

[Community]

Dare I say potential Norris contender?

He could be in the conversation if the PP stays at/near the top in the NHL by the end of the year.

However, I feel like the NHL places more emphasis on reputation for the Norris than some other awards. If he ends up with 60+ pts as the #1Dman on a top team he should be easily in the discussion.

 

[Myopic]

Wow, Rielly is playing the best offensive hockey of his career. He's a borderline superstar this year.

 

[Leafs at Knight]

Imagine this guy with even a top4 D partner.

 

[Albz]

He’s gonna end up with close to 70 points this year just watch. Last year he had 52 and didn’t play on Pp as much

 

[socko]

He gets better every year it seems.

 

[TMLeafer]

What a beast. However, I fear that carrying his partner will burn him our. Captain.

 

[Critical13]

10pts in 4 games with Ron Hainsey as his partner.

Bravo, Mo!

 

[al secord]

Morgan Rielly is STILL a Toronto Maple Leaf.

 

[MJ65]

10 points - leading the league with 8A and 2G

 

[Raym11]

Everything about him screams captain. I will continue to stick by that. Every interview and candid moment on tape of him shows him as one of the guys on the team with the most voice and capability of leading a room naturally

He's definitely a #1D as is

 

[TAYGB52]

I was saying in the off season that Rielly should be good for 60pts...I may have underestimated him!

 

[Raym11]

Fact about Rielly: He absolutely faces some of the toughest QoC in the league
Fact about Rielly: He put up 50+ points last year and looks to be on his way again this year

He's a 1D right now, probably in the 15-20 range however if he repeats last season or even has a season better then he is absolutely right on the door step as a top 10 D.

Basically where i see him, at his best top 10-15. People forget just how good some of the D in this league are. Being a top 10-15 D in the league is not bad. It's elite.

He still has one of the worst shots, i just can't see him at the threat level of someone like Karlsson or Burns because of that. He's probably a better defender defensively than both, but he doesn't have that extra gear in awareness or game breaking with the puck