Craig Berube isn’t down on Morgan Rielly.
Though the veteran defenceman’s game isn’t at the level that many have come to expect, Berube cut Rielly some slack on Monday.
“Coming in with the way we wanted to play and do things defensively and become a better defensive hockey team, keeping the puck out of our net, we’ve asked him to (have) less risk in his game,” the Maple Leafs coach said. “I think he’s trying to do that, and he has done that for the most part. But we also need him to produce offensively, and trying to get our D a little bit more active.
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“Lately, I think it has been better with our D, getting more active in the offensive zone, shooting more pucks, getting more pucks to the net. I think you’ll see his production go up a little bit.”
The lone Leafs defenceman to play in all 47 games this season, Rielly has 21 points and his mark of minus-14 is the lowest on the team. With an average of 21 minutes 21 seconds per game, Rielly leads Toronto D-men in average ice time, though he no longer is part of the No. 1 power-play unit.
Against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday night at Scotiabank Arena, Rielly will have Jake McCabe — whose reliability and awareness in the D zone has been crucial — as his defence partner. Never mind that McCabe shoots left as well.
“Morgan has had a lot of partners this year and it’s not his fault, or anybody’s fault, it’s just how things go with injuries, finding a right-shot guy to play over there,” Berube said. “McCabe has experience and he’s a very good player and defender, so that’s what we’re looking for tonight.”
Max Pacioretty won’t be in the lineup. The veteran forward is day to day with an upper-body injury after he was hit in the face with a puck during the Leafs win in Montreal on Saturday.
Fraser Minten will play for the Leafs for the first time since Dec. 14 and will centre a line with Max Domi and Nick Robertson on the wings.
“I like the player,” Berube said in reference to Minten. “Patches went out, he’s a guy who has played up here and he’s a smart player, we put him in the middle of the ice. I have trust in him.”
Minten also worked out with the second power-play unit at the morning skate.
“They like me at the net there and think I can do a good job getting in the goalie’s eyes and trying to clean up some of those rebounds and get some sticks on some of those point shots,” Minten said. “That second unit has been doing quite good and hopefully I can help them keep going.”
Joseph Woll gets the start in the Leafs net. It will be his 24th start of the season, setting a career high, and it will be his 25th game of the season, equalling his career high. Both personal marks were set in 2023-24.
There hasn’t been evidence of much wear and tear on Woll, if any. Most recently, his 32-save performance in Montreal was a significant factor in the Toronto win.
“He feels like he is in a good spot,” Berube said. “A lot of it is how the goalie feels and how he is looking in practice. We have to manage it and manage practice with him, too.
“He’s a hard-working guy and he puts a lot into his game with preparation and practice. Sometimes you have to pull those guys back a little bit. We need him in games.”
Jonas Johansson will start in goal for Tampa, which has won three of its past four games.
Back to the Leafs blue line, Simon Benoit will play after he was scratched the past two games and will be paired with Conor Timmins.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson will skate with Chris Tanev as the Leafs look to extend their winning streak to three games.
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