Where does Rielly sit for Leaf Defencemen?

[Notsince67]

Well Kaberle was very good he however lack the stones to take a check to make a play. Both good skaters and good passer. The difference is that Rielly is a more dynamic skater as well is more physical and will shoot the puck something Kaberle hardly did. As well as Kaberle played with much better D partners.

Can't be oversold. Rielly never got sheltered coming in the league and has been in an inferno ever since the draft. Comparing him to Dumba, who was ranked close to him at draft, he now plays like a grizzled vet who has been through some wars.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Don't know if joking or

Why would you think he's joking? Best since Salming is a perfectly reasonable opinion, it might be debatable but it's entirely reasonable.

 

[zeke]

Peak Kaberle (02/03 and 05/06) and peak McCabe (03/04 and 05/06) were both superior to what we've seen from Rielly to date.

Doesn't mean he doesn't have the capacity to be better, which I believe he does.

If we're including one year guys, I'd include 02/03 Svehla and 95/96 Larry Murphy ahead of him as well.

eh, neither kabs nor McCabe were ever used as the extreme usage matchup guys like Mo is. neither was Murphy.

svehla was, I'll grant you. but he was old and past his prime.

 

[crump]

Ellett gets forgotten here. With Winnipeg he was trending to be a perennial 50-60 point defenseman. On the Leafs he was expected to play a more defensive system under Burns, yet still managed to be a consistent 40-50 point offensive D man. He is probably equal to Rielly right now in that they play under very similar circumstances. If Rielly had the reins off, I wouldn't doubt he'd have 60 points by now.

So for me it's....since Salming....top 5 long term players

Kaberle
Rielly
Ellett
McCabe
Iafrate

Hon. Men.
Berard- oh what could have been
Murphy- too bad we rode him out of town on a rail
Mironov- "the tree"- got traded too early.
Kubina, Svehla, - not here long enough in their prime

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

eh, neither kabs nor McCabe were ever used as the extreme usage matchup guys like Mo is. neither was Murphy.

svehla was, I'll grant you. but he was old and past his prime.

Fair, though that seems to underrate the usage of Kaberle and McCabe. Especially in 05/06. Tough to play 28 minutes and be sheltered.

 

[Dustin]

1988 is 30 years ago.

Sorry. It was late. Meant to say 30.

 

[Dustin]

Start with basic math.

Then maybe try posting on HF.

It was late and I made a mistake. Apparently something no one ever does on HF....

 

[nuck]

Too early to rank against players who's entire careers we have seen. His offensive progression has been similar to Duncan Keith's without the benefit of a young Seabrook. I don't know if his modest ice time is due to his capability or simply Babs preference to spare him the minutes, but people seem to use the absence of workhorse minutes as a reason why he can't be a #1. He seems to me like he could be on the cusp of something big and a real player to watch this year. Now Gardiner's best years began at 26, Kaberle hit the next level at 27, and McCabe age 26 or 28 depending on your preference. Rielly is 24 going into this season so it is early to pigeon hole him, he has time. I doubt he is suddenly going to become a big goal scorer but he could have some Kaberle seasons.

 

[Dustin]

Some great names brought up. I can say that Kaberle was better up to this point. As was McCabe I believe. All of that being said Rielly may be on the verge of some really strong seasons and it will be interesting to see how it all pans out.

 

[zeke]

Fair, though that seems to underrate the usage of Kaberle and McCabe. Especially in 05/06. Tough to play 28 minutes and be sheltered.

remember those 2 post lockout years were the years of PP time near doubling because of the interference crackdown.

Kaberle and Mccabe both played TWELVE minutes per game on special teams that year, compared to less than 4 for rielly. they actually played 2 minutes less than rielly at even strength.

they weren't sheltered but few dmen ever get the extreme usage that Rielly gets.

 

[Joey Hoser]

I think the best Leafs defenseman I've watched is McCabe when he threw up huge points and was allowed to can-open everyone. Once that was taken away, Reilly is far better.

 

[The Shadow]

Brian Leetch looked good in his short time with the Leafs

However overall since 1988 the Leafs haven't been a very good team defensively. They hopefully are going to change that their unrelenting puck possession

 

[1specter]

Kaberle and Mccabe both played TWELVE minutes per game on special teams that year

How much of that is PK though, saying 12 minutes of special teams per game is a little bit disingenuous if you aren't separating out PP and PK time.

I think Rielly will surpass both guys, but IMO he hasn't quite beaten their peaks yet, however he himself has not even peaked and keeps getting better every year so I'm pretty confident we will witness him topping this list.

Svehla was great, it really sucks that he bolted after a year, having Svehla in 03/04 would've been a huge boost.

 

[al secord]

McCabe and Phaneuf were a lot alike. Tried too hard, low IQ, hard, inaccurate shots. Overpaid.

Ignore all that and they were really good defensemen.

 

[TheProspector]

Why would you think he's joking? Best since Salming is a perfectly reasonable opinion, it might be debatable but it's entirely reasonable.

Rielly is probably not the best D on this year's team, let alone all the way back to Salming.

 

[Liminality]

McCabe and Phaneuf were a lot alike. Tried too hard, low IQ, hard, inaccurate shots. Overpaid.

Ignore all that and they were really good defensemen.

I think McCabe was more offensive (Peak PP years) and Phaneuf was transitioned into more defensive but yeah super similar.


If Rielly has turned a corner in development and plays like he did last year, I think Rielly might end up being one of the best Leafs defenders if he stays here for his entire career. Although that isn't the highest benchmark sadly.

 

[zeke]

How much of that is PK though, saying 12 minutes of special teams per game is a little bit disingenuous if you aren't separating out PP and PK time.

7:30 pp time, 4:30 pk time - both marks which are beyond impossible to reach in today's nhl.

 

[zeke]

Rielly is probably not the best D on this year's team, let alone all the way back to Salming.

he's by far the best D on this year's team, and most definitely in the argument with anyone since salming.

if you're going to say Jake, you're dealing with some very poor stats analysis.

 

[Morbo]

I'd rank Kabby ahead, but it's an embarassingly weak field.

 

[Dustin]

I'd rank Kabby ahead, but it's an embarassingly weak field.

It's strange. The Leafs just haven't been able to draft or in some cases keep great defensemen on the team.

I wonder how many teams have had better defensemen over that time frame? All of them? Maybe Carolina or Vancouver have not had anyone specifically better than the Leafs.

 

[TMLegend]

best since salming

Embarrassing if true. I don't agree with this sentiment however and I think Mo gets tremendously overrated on this forum because of a few "fancy stats".

 

[Mickey Marner]

Best since Kaberle with a good chance to pass him.

 

[meefer]

Kabs is the only one who comes close, it'e Rielly by a furlong+. Did some of you not see the horror that was the Leafs D corp? I'd take today's group over anything other than 93/4 and then I'd ask who is offering offense? Give it time folks, things will out. Individually, nobody comes close.

 

[zeke]

Embarrassing if true. I don't agree with this sentiment however and I think Mo gets tremendously overrated on this forum because of a few "fancy stats".

get this, tho - the reason why he gets so underrated is because of one non-fancy stat.....

....plus minus.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Rielly is probably not the best D on this year's team, let alone all the way back to Salming.

Rielly is clearly the best on the team now. There's no debate to be had