Morgan Rielly might not have lost much sleep when he was left off Canada’s roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Recommended Videos
While the Maple Leafs defenceman said he will use his exclusion as motivation, there are other things on his mind.
“I look at my own game, and assess there,” Rielly said on Friday morning. “You believe in yourself.”
And what does Rielly see in evaluating his overall performance as he was one of six Leafs to play in all 25 games before Toronto played host to the Washington Capitals on Friday night?
“I feel really good now,” Rielly said. “I think that the start (of the season) I felt really good, and then I became a little bit inconsistent.
“I feel like I’m primed right now to have a great month going into Christmas.”
For Rielly, and the Leafs as whole, the concentration through the first few months of the 2024-25 regular season has been getting accustomed to what coach Craig Berube wants out of his players. In the defence-first system, those with an offensive bent might find the adjustment to have more challenges.
“With a new coach, I was maybe really focused not on the wrong stuff, but trying to get this stuff down pat, trying to be really good defensively,” Rielly said. “I don’t think I’ve been as dangerous offensively because of that, but I’ve been feeling really good the past couple games.”
Rielly’s ice time has decreased, but he still is playing more than 21 minutes a game. His career average is 22 minutes 10 seconds.
Berube took a longer view in his assessment of the 30-year-old Rielly, the longest-serving current Leafs player.
“He has done a good job for us, in my opinion,” Berube said. “He’s used to really getting up into the play, and he still does. I think he’s picking his spots really well with that and defending well.”
Crucial to keep in mind as Rielly and the Leafs round into Berube’s form is that they’ve been winning while learning on the job. No one would say the Leafs have been playing perfect hockey, but if it’s about the build to being at their best once the playoffs start in April, the Leafs are going about it the right way.
“You can’t lose track of that and that’s big,” Rielly said. “I looked this morning at the standings, and we’re in a great spot. There have been been nights where it hasn’t been as pretty, or there have been periods of time where we haven’t generated offence like we have in the past, but you can’t argue with the results.
“In general, I don’t think we’ve tried to reinvent the wheel. But it helps when the big guys buy into it. Everything else seems to follow.”
Rielly has proudly worn Canada’s colours in the past. From afar, he’ll cheer on Leafs teammate Mitch Marner and the rest of the group once the 4 Nations Face-Off in Montreal and Boston gets underway on Feb. 12.
“In regard to the Team Canada stuff, I wish I was a bit more consistent (in his play earlier),” Rielly said. “But I’m not really making excuses.
“It’s always a great honour to play for your country, and you’re always trying to perform well enough to get that opportunity again.”