Would ya look at that?: Mo is a bonafide #1 dman

[Subway Schenn]

Guy should be getting paid over 7M.

Now taking off offensively (if you watched him in junior, you knew it was coming), having developed a stable defensive game and becoming a major leader on this team. I would consider making him captain, though Auston seems destined for it.

What a beaut, and we've had him from the beginning!

Click to read more...

 

[Falon]

Genuine homegrown #1 defenseman take time. Occasionally they develop early like Doughty or Hedman, but typically not. I have no problem putting Reilly on that list. Where he ranks is a matter of opinion, but he's earned his spot on that list.

 

[DavePoulin4PM]

He has too many limitations to be considered a #1. On a contending team he is a #2 or 3. His poor hockey IQ is something he will never overcome. He has been in the league multiple years and still has rookie brain farts, and he doesn’t understand situational hockey.

He is a great skater and moves the puck well. It’s too bad he is a low IQ player and isn’t difficult to play against at all, or else he would be a #1.

Just because he is the #1 on one of the worst defensive units the NHL has seen this decade, doesn’t make him a number one. That’s like saying David Desharnais was a #1 center in MTL...

 

[LeafFever]

He has too many limitations to be considered a #1. On a contending team he is a #2 or 3. His poor hockey IQ is something he will never overcome. He has been in the league multiple years and still has rookie brain farts, and he doesn’t understand situational hockey.

He is a great skater and moves the puck well. It’s too bad he is a low IQ player and isn’t difficult to play against at all, or else he would be a #1.

Just because he is the #1 on one of the worst defensive units the NHL has seen this decade, doesn’t make him a number one. That’s like saying David Desharnais was a #1 center in MTL...

We ARE a contending team. #1 in the NHL standings currently.
In Toronto any mistake is magnified. Matthews made Doughty look like a rookie on Monday night. Doughty was BRUTAL.

 

[DavePoulin4PM]

We ARE a contending team. #1 in the NHL standings currently.

Contending for the presidents trophy.. sure. Stanley Cup with this defense? Lol 0% chance. Keep dreaming.

 

[LeafFever]

Contending for the presidents trophy.. sure. Stanley Cup with this defense? Lol 0% chance. Keep dreaming.

You have missed the past 3 years in the playoffs then. Pens won 2 years ago with Hainsey their 2nd in TOI.
Everyone always only talks about our defense. Will Boston ever win a cup with their centres? How are teams going to deal with Matthews/Tavares/Kadri on the ice every second when benches are shortened in a playoff series?

 

[Pi]

He's the best defenseman the Leafs have had since probably Salming.I never watched Salming but our teams weren't great for a while so it was Kaberle before Rielly.

 

[LeafFever]

Rielly has been brutally underrated for a long time.

 

[TakeTheBody]

Thank God for Brian Burke...

 

[LeafFever]

Thank God for Brian Burke...

Burke was laughed at for his comment that Rielly was #1 in that draft. He looks right now.

 

[Advanced stats]

He has too many limitations to be considered a #1. On a contending team he is a #2 or 3. His poor hockey IQ is something he will never overcome. He has been in the league multiple years and still has rookie brain farts, and he doesn’t understand situational hockey.

He is a great skater and moves the puck well. It’s too bad he is a low IQ player and isn’t difficult to play against at all, or else he would be a #1.

Just because he is the #1 on one of the worst defensive units the NHL has seen this decade, doesn’t make him a number one. That’s like saying David Desharnais was a #1 center in MTL...

You're stuck in 2015 man. Time to move on.

Rielly is top 20 in the league

 

[LeafFever]

3 GA for the Leafs the past 2 games against "Playoff Teams" (Ridiculous argument, LA is terrible, Montreal is much better).
They are 6-1 with save % under .900. Their goaltending has been crap. The overall D looks fine. Dermott and Og on the 3rd-pairing is really good for any team.

 

[mcleex]

Burke was laughed at for his comment that Rielly was #1 in that draft. He looks right now.

Burke did a lot of good for this team. Unfortunately he matched it with equally as many bad things .

 

[LeafFever]

Burke did a lot of good for this team. Unfortunately he matched it with equally as many bad things .

He was too obsessed with size and toughness. Rielly was a guy he couldn't ignore since he had a top 5 pick.

 

[Kubus]

We ARE a contending team. #1 in the NHL standings currently.
In Toronto any mistake is magnified. Matthews made Doughty look like a rookie on Monday night. Doughty was BRUTAL.

Exactly, the only people that hold that opinion that Doughty is so mistake free don't watch him play. Yes, Doughty is a bit better than Rielly defensively, but it's not that huge.

 

[Liminality]

Exactly, the only people that hold that opinion that Doughty is so mistake free don't watch him play. Yes, Doughty is a bit better than Rielly defensively, but it's not that huge.

Oh I think Doughty is better defensively alright but I think people have this weird idea that top defenders on other teams don't ever get beat wide or make mistakes. Maybe if you're Lidstrom that's true but every other big name, Norris trophy winning dman gets beat and makes mistakes.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

3 GA for the Leafs the past 2 games against "Playoff Teams" (Ridiculous argument, LA is terrible, Montreal is much better).
They are 6-1 with save % under .900. Their goaltending has been crap. The overall D looks fine. Dermott and Og on the 3rd-pairing is really good for any team.

It has not been crap. Andersen has been shaky in a few games, but that's not unusual for him. Sparks has done well, considering he did very well against LA and hung in against a tough team. It did not help the Leafs had easily their worst defensive effort against the likes of Toews, Kane, DeBrincat, etc. in his first game in the NHL for a while. Andersen would likely have not done much better in those circumstances, especially if his Ottawa game was any indication... He was the reason the Leafs lost that game.

 

[diceman934]

He has too many limitations to be considered a #1. On a contending team he is a #2 or 3. His poor hockey IQ is something he will never overcome. He has been in the league multiple years and still has rookie brain farts, and he doesn’t understand situational hockey.

He is a great skater and moves the puck well. It’s too bad he is a low IQ player and isn’t difficult to play against at all, or else he would be a #1.

Just because he is the #1 on one of the worst defensive units the NHL has seen this decade, doesn’t make him a number one. That’s like saying David Desharnais was a #1 center in MTL...

I read until you wrote poor hockey iq and stopped it is his biggest strength other then his skating.

 

[diceman934]

Exactly, the only people that hold that opinion that Doughty is so mistake free don't watch him play. Yes, Doughty is a bit better than Rielly defensively, but it's not that huge.

Doughy was on the ice for how many goals last game against. He got beat out of the wall for the first goal.

 

[TimeZone]

He has too many limitations to be considered a #1. On a contending team he is a #2 or 3. His poor hockey IQ is something he will never overcome. He has been in the league multiple years and still has rookie brain farts, and he doesn’t understand situational hockey.

He is a great skater and moves the puck well. It’s too bad he is a low IQ player and isn’t difficult to play against at all, or else he would be a #1.

Just because he is the #1 on one of the worst defensive units the NHL has seen this decade, doesn’t make him a number one. That’s like saying David Desharnais was a #1 center in MTL...

Sometimes I wonder if certain posters even watch the sport. This is one of those posts that made me question that.

Using David Desharnais as an analogy for Morgan Rielly? At least try.

 

[Morbo]

bonafied?

better than being a pre-Madonna, I guess.

 

[SprDaVE]

He's been exceptional to me, not only because of the points... and that's playing with Ron Freaking Hainsey.

 

[LeafFever]

Exactly, the only people that hold that opinion that Doughty is so mistake free don't watch him play. Yes, Doughty is a bit better than Rielly defensively, but it's not that huge.

I have long made this argument that players in certain markets aren't seen, so their mistakes are not magnified like in Toronto. When McCabe scored on his own net and he'll never live that down, 5 other players did it that same season including Backstrom in the playoffs. Does anyone remember those?
When I hear OEL in Arizona is a #1 stud and top 5 D I laugh. Think on the Leafs he could get away with not having the stats and his team never winning and be considered that good?

 

[Fogelhund]

I'd love to see Mo with a good quality, to top pairing RHD. Mo has played well so far, but I think someone who can focus defensively will really allow his game to blossom. (Instead of him having to cover his partner constantly.)

 

[Smif]

He was too obsessed with size and toughness. Rielly was a guy he couldn't ignore since he had a top 5 pick.

Ya, the only guys to make it out of the Burke era are Rielly, Kadri, Gardiner and Brown. The only players that were acquired that he didn't demand size over skill.