Morgan Rielly mérite bien plus d’appréciation qu’il n’en reçoit actuellement.
Oui, ça a été une année difficile. Mais ce n’est pas seulement lui, c’est toute l’équipe. Ce qui est perdu, c’est à quel point il a été cohérent lorsque cela compte le plus. Au cours des dernières séries éliminatoires, Rielly a été l’un des joueurs les plus fiables des Leafs. De 2020 à 2024, il a été parmi les chefs d’équipe en matière de pointage des défenseurs en séries éliminatoires et, lors de plusieurs courses, a terminé parmi les trois premiers au classement général de l’équipe. Ce n’est pas facile à faire depuis la ligne bleue, surtout en séries éliminatoires.
On lui a également demandé de réinventer son jeu presque chaque année. Une saison, c’est « nous avons besoin de plus de défense, prenons moins de risques ». Le suivant est « nous avons besoin de plus d’attaque, lancez-vous dans la course ». Ce genre de changement constant n’est pas simple, surtout lorsque vous jouez les meilleures minutes contre les meilleurs joueurs du monde.
Et soyons honnêtes sur le facteur le plus important : la stabilité. Rielly n’a pas eu de partenaire de premier plan constant depuis des années. Cela a été une porte tournante : de Brandon Carlo à Luke Schenn en passant par TJ Brodie et d’autres avec des changements constants de rôle et de responsabilité. Cela compte plus que ce que les gens pensent. Les défenseurs d’élite de la ligue prospèrent grâce à l’alchimie et à la prévisibilité. Il n’a pas eu ce luxe. En utilisant celui que je considère comme le meilleur de la ligue, Makar, il a Toews comme partenaire depuis 5 saisons et Toews est un fantastique partenaire constant.
Maintenant, regardez la valeur. Rielly est un défenseur de 40 à 45 points dans une saison normale, et les joueurs produisant à ce niveau commandent généralement entre 8 et 10 millions de dollars sur le marché libre aujourd’hui. Il est assis à un plafond inférieur à cette fourchette, tout en enregistrant de lourdes minutes, des transitions de quart-arrière et en contribuant aux séries éliminatoires.
Et malgré tout cela, il a choisi d’être ici. Dans un marché où la pression médiatique est implacable et où la base de fans peut changer rapidement, Rielly s’est toujours présenté, a pris ses responsabilités et n’a jamais demandé à se retirer.
Cela compte pour quelque chose.
Il n’est pas parfait, mais très peu de défenseurs dans cette ligue peuvent faire ce qu’il fait, à son prix, sous ce niveau de surveillance.
Parfois, cela vaut la peine de prendre du recul et d’apprécier les gars qui veulent réellement porter le maillot et se présenter quand cela compte le plus.
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Imfeelingfrench
26 Comments
Praising a Leafs layer? We don’t do that here, not until we’ve traded them for far less than their value!
Love Boats!
Agreed! Morgan Rielly is a true beauty. Should get way more respect for suiting up in the blue & white as long as he has.
I can’t decide if I think this is Tessa Virtue or Jake Gardiner posting this.
Reilly was a good defenceman, the leafs just expected way too much out of him and never looked for someone better and couldn’t sign someone better cause of the core four contracts.
He’s going to hit 1000 games as a Leaf next season. When is the last time we had a journeyman player like that? He’s somehow hung on despite questionable numbers.
Honestly he’s a great leaf, elevates in the playoffs, and has never even thought about signing somewhere else. The problem is he’s not a true #1, he would be a great LD for a true #1 RD too bad the organization let him down.
Very grateful to grow up watching this guy. Need a jersey before he’s gone.
I hate the constant saying that Rielly hasn’t had the right partner. It’s been 13 years and we are still trying to find him a partner for him to excell? He’s the veteran, he should be making everyone else around him better. If 13 seasons of hockey has yet to find Morgan Rielly the partner he needs, then maybe he’s not the guy you think he’s supposed to be. He’s terrible defensively. Not really the dangerous PP defenseman. Not the guy I would put out there with 3 minutes left trying to hold onto a one goal lead.
My thinking is, what is the difference in games won, if we picked up free agent defenseman who had the same combined salary? Is Morgan Rielly the go to guy on defense for this team?
I like Rielly. I understand the hate too but I have never shit on him. I mean some of his wobbles on the ice and muffin shots make me laugh but the dude is a stand up guy. A lot of Leaf nation thought he should have been captain as well. He has never been gifted defensively but he’s only been this bad under Berube. No confidence playing his system. New coach and I bet Rielly is rejuvenated. Who else are you going to get that eats minutes like this anyways?
I think he’s a great middle-pairing defenseman on a cup contender, but he’s been deployed as the Leafs #1D for a long time. The expectations have been way too high. This year he’s a new dad and that always takes a toll on you.
One of my favorite Leafs of all time, and my fav of the past 10 years
Yo this is reddit, this isnt the place for a reasonable nuanced knowledgable take backed by relevant examples
I really hope that he stays and bounces back (like most should once Berube is gone). He’s played the 7th most games in Leaf history, he’s 6th in assists, and 2nd in points from a defenseman. He’s done that while being a leader on the back end and from all accounts a nice guy off the ice. Having the 29th highest cap hit in the league for a dman means that we really shouldn’t be expecting extremely elite level production, he just needs to improve on his game. I’ll take a guy who wants to be here and is still likely capable of better hockey under a coach who doesn’t sewer everybody’s numbers any day of the week.
Nothing would give me greater joy than seeing Rielly raise the cup in Toronto
I don’t want to see him gone, maybe just lower the minutes a bit to see if his performance goes up next season
we expect him to be a pp quarterback but he is constantly replaced as the top unit pp guy. If he can’t even do that, why keep him?
This guy used to *fuck* come playoffs.
https://preview.redd.it/hkilf8bp4tvg1.jpeg?width=1024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5153071165bf0f68988e23f99854cbf47527b4ac
He is still my favourite player
If you’re striking out with multiple partners on chemistry. Its you.
I’d appreciate him accepting a trade
Does anyone think Rielly for Pettersen is kind of interesting? Vancouver saves on term and salary, we roll the dice on a kid who absolutely looks like he needs a new environment. I think if he rides shotgun to a guy like Nylander, he could thrive, right? Maybe rejuvenate his love for the sport? When you don’t have an entire city looking at you to be the guy?
$4.1m in extra salary AND an additional two years is a lot to gamble. But it’s intriguing. Maybe you could get them to eat some of that cap space?
I like him too, but as a 2nd or 3rd pair guy. I know he’s making #1 D money but he’s not that player anymore, we need a true #1 Damn and the time for Mo to develop into that has long passed. Still a good player and I respect the shit outta him
Morgan Rielly fucking blows.
Would you want to play with him? You shouldn’t want to or have to. He is a perpetual loser. 13 years with the same non winning team in a 13 year career. A milquetoast.
Time to move on, Morgan.
He was one of my favourites for many years. Then he had a kid…or at least the timing coincided with his decline. He probably focused a lot less on hockey and got a lot less sleep and he’s been a liability ever since. Not just relative to the contract he got, which is a big drag for the franchise, but simply a poor defender. Cannot defend top lines. If you invest significant money in a defenseman, they need to be solid against top line players OR superhuman offensively, which he is nowhere near.
A lot of people don’t know this, but Morgan has a wonderful penis. Big and thick like a Coke can with a wide mushroom head. Like a baby’s arm holding an apple