Fansided

2020 NHL Season: Grading the Toronto Maple Leafs’ left defense at season pause

By Simon Vacca

PITTSBURGH, PA - NOVEMBER 16: Morgan Rielly #44 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG PAINTS Arena on November 16, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - NOVEMBER 16: Morgan Rielly #44 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG PAINTS Arena on November 16, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 5
Next
TORONTO, ON – JANUARY 06: Toronto Maple Leafs Defenceman Morgan Rielly (44) in warmups prior to the regular season NHL game between the Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs on January 6, 2020 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON. (Photo by Gerry Angus/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – JANUARY 06: Toronto Maple Leafs Defenceman Morgan Rielly (44) in warmups prior to the regular season NHL game between the Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs on January 6, 2020 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON. (Photo by Gerry Angus/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Morgan Rielly

Games Played: 47
Goals: 3
Assists: 24
Points: 27

If Muzzin serves as Toronto’s top defensive talent, then Morgan Rielly acts as the club’s best offensive player operating from the organization’s back end.

A quick glance at the assistant captain’s statistics illustrates the lengths to which Rielly has gone to evolve into one of the NHL’s finest defensemen over the course of his 500+ game career thus far:

  • 2013-14: 73 GP, 2 G, 25 A, 27 PTS
  • 2014-15: 81 GP, 8 G, 21 A, 29 PTS
  • 2015-16: 82 GP, 9 G, 27 A, 36 PTS
  • 2016-17: 76 GP, 6 G, 21 A, 27 PTS
  • 2017-18: 76 GP, 6 G, 46 A, 52 PTS
  • 2018-19: 82 GP, 20 G, 52 A, 72 PTS
  • 2019-20: 47 GP, 3 G, 24 A, 27 PTS

Coming off a career year in the 2018-19 season with respect to goals (20), assists (52) and points (72), much was expected of Rielly in 2019-20. And while the player’s goal totals underwent a decline, much can still be said for the value that No. 44 brought to Toronto’s back end. Despite seeing a reasonable portion of his power play time given to Tyson Barrie under Keefe, Rielly continued to serve as a sufficient quarterback from the club’s blue line, marrying offensive prowess with relatively decent defense.

While some questions prevail about Rielly’s performance in his own zone — reflecting, I gather, a more general issue with the Maple Leafs’ defensive system — his value should not be understated. The 26-year-old will be due for a raise soon, so look for Toronto to continue to build around its most head-turning defensive asset.

Grade: B+

Home/Toronto Maple Leafs