Realistically, What Can Morgan Rielly Become at this Point?

LeafingTheWay

Registered User
May 31, 2014
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I've been clear on my opinion for a long-time: Rielly has elite offensive potential despite what the average point totals say. IMO he's an offensive D-man being forced to play a defensive role his whole career and that's terrible usage. We saw what he looked like in a two-way/offensive role in the playoffs, that's what he needs.

He should be the Josi to the Subban (Lavy didn't use the pairs properly but the usage got better as the season progressed), the Burns to the Vlasic, the Carlson to the Niskanen, etc.

Rielly could be a 55-65 point D-man if the usage is right.

Obviously these guys are different levels but:
Gardiner-Zaistev (Vlasic-Braun/Ekholm-Subban)
Rielly-Liljegren (Martin-Burns/Josi-Ellis)

Liljegren is the key. I think he'll be an elite D-man and our best D by far, but it might be too early to put that out there ;)
 

Liminality

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Oct 22, 2008
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Rielly easily projects to an average #1 or a really solid #2. Can't wait for the season to start to see how far he can go under Babcock.
 

TheBigThree

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Nov 3, 2011
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Toronto
I think he will be an slightly above average 2nd pairing dman. Besides his straightaway speed there is nothing that he shows he is above average in.

1. Passing - not a lot of vision...he can distribute ok if not under pressure...but not threading a needle (saucer pass, through legs and sticks, hail Mary players out of our zone to streaking forwards)

2. Shot - not much to speak of - well below average slap shot...in fact I don't remember any goals he has scored on a slap shot; his shot working the point mostly consists of flicking the puck in hopes of it hitting some legs or getting deflected in by accident. I don't know how you become a labeled "offensive" dman without a slap shot. Almost every top scoring dman in the NHL has some kind of slap shot (Karlsson, Subban, Weber, Suter, Keith, Josi, Doughty, Giordano, OEL) all have some semblance of an ability to one time it or get a good slap shot at the net.

3. Skating - decent in a straight line but he is no powerhouse. When skating with the puck however he mostly skates himself to the side where he usually gets squeezed out or he is about to be checked so he throws it blindly in the slot in hopes of someone getting to it.

4. Stick handling -- below average..in fact it is one of his weak points. He will never fool anybody with his stick handling-- mostly just pushes the puck forward and a few 2 feet back and forth movements. That play where he beat 2 Oilers including a toe drag and then roofed it is like a one time deal...besides that rush I have never ever seen him fool anybody with stick work.

5. Defensive play? His poor habits of lunging at the puck trying to break up a play results in many odd man rushes for the other team. He is not aware of how to close gaps or when to be aggressive in the puck retrieval process. His worse habits by far have to do with puck watching in his own zone and not taking out the main in front of the net. I have given many examples of this in the past; I have counted at least 5 games where he was caught like a bystander watching the puck being passed around and the guy right beside him will score totally untouched. This guy will never be a defensive minded d man. I believe if you can't master this simple important task by the time you are in the league 4 years...you just don't have the right mindset.

I will of course get a lot of haters who will attack me on these points but I really really do not see Rielly as someone particularly talented in terms of skill and I especially do not see a defensive IQ on this kid. Babcock can drum him up all he wants but I don't know how much credence I give to our coach's ability to judge real talent or to really teach these guys how to play defence. We had one of the worse goals against records in the league last year. The only reason we made the playoff is because of our 4 kids who infused a lot of offence last year (Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Brown) - and of course Gardiner who showed a glimpse of what he could be. Most shocking is not just how many goals we had scored against us -- especially 5 on 5... but how we let those goals in at the last few minutes of play to relinquish the lead. I don't have the stats, but we most have lead the league in giving up leads in the 3rd period and especially in the dying minutes and in OT. This is because Babcock can't teach these guys how to think defense. In terms of judging talent, he puts Zaitsev and Rielly on together as shut down guys and that in itself tells me he is not particularly apt in choosing defensive talent.

Getting back to Rielly, I think we are best served in putting Rielly on 2nd pairing with a solid veteran who can guide him. One that will take care of the front of the net and let Rielly run around in the corners. The problem is Zaistsev I believe is just a right handed version of Rielly with a slightly better slap shot. Other than that, he is exactly what Rielly is - slightly above average offense; good straight away speed with no real puck moving skills; extremely poor at defending his zone in front of the net; no ability to hammer the puck at the net.

Ok...bring on the haters.

You hit it right on the nail. /thread.
 

43Kadri43

Registered User
Jun 15, 2017
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487
Doughty scored 76P in 67GP in his draft-1 OHL season.

Rielly scored 28P in 65GP.

Rielly looked decent in his draft season (18P in 18GP), but clearly that was inadequate sample size, and in no other season did Rielly compare to Doughty. It was a silly comparison then and now.

Doughty's a late birthday.
 

Beaninfritz

Registered User
Aug 27, 2009
901
192
He's a top pairing D for sure, or at least will become one if he continues to progress. As far as defensemen go, he's still young. Most don't peak until 27 or so. He's also been playing on a team that's been godawful defensively for a long time now. This past season, he played most minutes with a guy that just came over from Russia (not that Zaitsev was horrible or anything). If he doesn't end up being a #1D, he'd at worst be a #2D.
 

saltming

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Oct 6, 2015
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318 if we're counting. ;)

Playoffs?

But yes he should get better, and he's had a couple wow moments in his 4 full NHL seasons, but elite players show very quickly.

He isn't elite, but you don't have to be elite to be a good defender.
I could be wrong but didn't Keith take a few years to break out?
I'm sure there are others too.
 

Trapper

Registered User
Nov 21, 2013
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318 if we're counting. ;)

Playoffs?

But yes he should get better, and he's had a couple wow moments in his 4 full NHL seasons, but elite players show very quickly.

He isn't elite, but you don't have to be elite to be a good defender.

For Rielly take a look back at the better games he has played for us so far in his career.
Now work on doing that consistently.
Then call him whatever you like between #2-3.
Like Kadri, consistency.
 

meefer

Registered User
Jun 9, 2015
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318 if we're counting. ;)

Playoffs?

But yes he should get better, and he's had a couple wow moments in his 4 full NHL seasons, but elite players show very quickly.

He isn't elite, but you don't have to be elite to be a good defender.

:laugh::laugh: Fair enough. :laugh:
 

diceman934

Help is on the way.
Jul 31, 2010
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NHL player factory
Reilly has shown himself to be a top pair D man. He has played more time with AHL D man on his offside then any other prospect I can think of in the NHL. Last year he played with a partner who had struggled with positioning and was very good right up to getting. High ankle sprain.

His development has been hindered by lack of NHL D man on the team and **** poor coaching for his first 3 seasons. Look for Morgan to remove all doubt as to his status. He was the best D man in two international events when playing with an NHL caliber D man and I can not see any reason why he would not play at that level when paired with a decent NHL defender.
 

WinB4IDIE

Registered User
Oct 22, 2007
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12
Ontario
He's as good as he's going to get he's a #3 on any good team but has the same problem all the Leafs top 4 have he's dumber then a bag of hammers hockey IQ wise.
 

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