When the Toronto Maple Leafs were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs at the hands of the Florida Panthers, it didn’t sit well for a lot of players. Especially for Morgan Rielly, as he didn’t have the strongest play overall last season.
It was evident that Rielly wasn’t happy with the way things ended and his overall play as he had a candid discussion with general manager Brad Treliving. Rielly was disappointed and wanted to take the opportunity during the offseason to turn things around and be in a better spot mentally and physically coming into the season. So far, that appears to be the case as he already has one goal and three assists to start the season. (from, ‘Morgan Rielly’s summer shift: Inside a Maple Leafs star’s quest for a resurgence’, The AthleticNHL – 9/25/25)
Rielly Showing More Drive to Game
It was a big talking point heading into the preseason but you knew that Rielly was going to be motivated and there was going to be an improvement in his game. He was leaner, looks to have more pep in his step and is quicker with his decision making with the puck, getting it on net and making plays faster.
While it’s a small sample to start the season, Rielly appears to be on the path for a revival in his career after dealing with inconsistencies in his game previously. There’s more urgency and drive to his game, especially on the offensive side of things. That was definitely evident during the season opener against the Montreal Canadiens as he showcased that pace and offensive impact. He had a goal and an assist in the game and knowing how the offense was hard to come by on the backend last season, Rielly is producing early on which is a great sign for him.
That continued into their second game against the Detroit Red Wings, adding two assists. While that game was one the team would like to forget, Rielly had favourable results against the Canadiens at five-on-five. When he was on the ice, he had a Corsi for percentage of 61.11%, has the advantage in scoring chances when he was on the ice (13- 4) and was on for three goals for and none against. He has been a real factor on the rush and getting better looks on net, creating those lanes for himself and not passing up on those shooting opportunities. That was the result on the Nicolas Roy goal against the Red Wings as he had a good look on net and that goal was created off of his shot from the point.
Related: Did the Red Wings Hand Maple Leafs a Lesson They Can’t Ignore?
Even without the puck, Rielly appears to be showing more pressure when defending as his teammates have noticed his gap control and ability to tie players up. A prime example was a breakaway that Dylan Larkin had in the second period. He was a step behind but managed to get back quickly, negate a shot and tie up Larkin without taking a penalty. This was one area where Rielly really wasn’t at his best as this is a positive step with his defensive game. There have still been some lapses, but there is improvement.
Rielly in Right Mindset
While we’re only two games into the season, Rielly is already starting to have a new found mindset and display more confidence in his game. It’s also encouraging to see the Maple Leafs’ top defender show some sort of consistency at both ends of the ice. He needs to continue to show that those struggles and miscues that he was known for in the past won’t be a consistent factor and attribute to his questionable play again.
In previous seasons, there would be too many times where he would make poor decisions with the puck with his shot selection or pinches and reads at the blue line, can be too patient with the puck, second-guess himself and wouldn’t be as strong in one-on-one situations. So far, we’re starting to see him break free from those old habits as a result of his work on and off the ice in order to get into the right state of mind. There have been some mistakes early on, but they’re not as egregious, as he’s keeping up with opponents and producing early and often.
Head coach Craig Berube even tried to give him some advice and it seems to be working. He said that, “When you’ve got to defend, you defend. But we need you doing the other things offensively.” Well, he’s driving play and producing offensively and is making strong plays defensively, even though that aspect hasn’t been fully rounded-out.
Related: Easton Cowan Patiently Awaiting Maple Leafs’ Debut
Rielly’s 31 and not getting any younger, but he is showing that despite being a veteran in the league, he can still elevate his game and still be a factor for his team. He’s had a number of highs and lows throughout his career. Now, he appears set on putting a disappointing season behind him and already looking forward to one that holds more promise thanks to his strong start.
Statistics from Natural Stat Trick.
