On the latest episode of Inside The Leafs, Postmedia’s Rob Wong speaks with Toronto Sun Maple Leafs writers Terry Koshan and Lance Hornby to get their thoughts on Rielly’s season thus far, how they view the Maple Leafs at the midway point of the season and where the team can improve over the final 41 games.
Amid an up-and-down season, Morgan Rielly had arguably the highest point of his campaign, scoring the overtime winner in the Maple Leafs 3-2 win against the Philadelphia Flyers that gave Toronto their fourth straight victory.
It was the 30-year-old’s first goal since November 5th when he scored and added two assists in Toronto’s 4-0 shutout of the Boston Bruins.
It also snapped a seven-game pointless streak for the defenceman.
Coming off a 58-point, Rielly is on pace for just 38 points this season, which would be his lowest tally since 2020-21 when he had 35 points during the COVID-shortened season.
The longtime Maple Leafs defenceman, now into his 12th season with Toronto, has seen his ice-time decrease over two minutes this year under new head coach Craig Berube.
His role as the quarterback on the first powerplay unit has also been sporadic.
However, minutes shouldn’t be an issue over the next week or so as Maple Leafs defenceman Jake McCabe has been placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury suffered in the game against Philadelphia.
The Maple Leafs will try to win their fifth straight game on Tuesday night when they wrap up their home-and-home series with the Flyers in Philadelphia.