Toronto Maple Leafs coach Jim Hiller is handing Morgan Rielly a fresh start, and he’s not hiding how strongly he feels about the defenseman’s chances to rebound.
Hiller said Monday he’s tuned into the outside noise around Rielly, but he isn’t buying the negative spin that followed the blueliner through a rough season and a summer full of trade talk.
"I haven't been here. I do understand the narrative that, you know, people got down on Morgan," Hiller told reporters Monday.
"I don't see it. I'm giving him a clean slate, and I'm glad he's excited to play.
I expect just a great year. I know for years he was looked upon favorably by everybody.
So, sometimes things turn, and they swing maybe a little too far one way or the other, and it might not be the exact truth."
Rielly’s numbers last season told the story of a player who didn’t quite hit his usual standard. He finished with 11 goals and 36 points in 78 games, along with a minus-18 rating.
That was his lowest scoring rate and worst plus/minus since the 2016-17 season. Toronto, meanwhile, slid down the standings and missed the playoffs for the first time in nine seasons.
The 2026-27 campaign also carries a personal milestone for Rielly, who can become the sixth player to reach 1,000 games in franchise history this season.
For his part, Rielly sounded locked in on staying with the Leafs and helping the team move forward.
"I just love this team and my teammates," said Rielly, who can become the sixth player to reach 1,000 games in franchise history this season.
"Whatever the downs are, the challenges, I think the opportunity and the ups outweigh them greatly. I feel very fortunate to have been a Maple Leaf, and I want to continue that for as long as I can.
On that line, there's an element of my performance and my game has to try to hold up that end of the bargain, on the results side. Hopefully, both those things can happen."
Hiller also gave a look at how he plans to use Rielly early, pairing him with newcomer Darren Raddysh at Monday’s practice. The coach said the two could benefit from more offensive-zone deployment and more run alongside Toronto’s top-six forwards.
"We think they can be a good pair," Hiller said. "Try to maybe spot them a little more in the O zone if we can, and give them maybe more minutes with our top-six forwards. Not that they can't get D-zone minutes and defend the other teams' top lines, but we think maybe we can get them out with our top six and maybe give us an advantage."
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Last season in Sweden, Koblar put up 14 points in 47 games with Leksands in the SHL, a solid base but not the kind of production that screams instant readiness. The early read is that he may still need more time before jumping to the NHL, and perhaps even before taking the next step into the AHL, which is why another season in the SHL is being viewed as a sensible part of his development. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Opening Night Blue Line Sends A Clear Early Message
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Theres also a fourth pair in the mix with Emil Andrae and Nick Blankenburg, which gives Toronto a fuller picture of how the defensive rotation may settle in once the games begin. The pairings hint at a staff that wants a mix of stability, mobility and experience, even as it asks Rielly to jump right back into a leading role after the lost time in camp. For a team still shaping its early-season identity, the blue line is already sending a clear message about who the Maple Leafs trust most when the puck drops. [Read more 🡒]
Hiller Is Pushing Morgan Rielly Back To The Center Of It
Morgan Rielly has started to look like the kind of defenseman the Maple Leafs have always wanted him to be when he is at his best, and Jim Hiller is clearly leaning into that idea. During practice, Hiller pointed to the pairing with Darren Raddysh as a potential offensive defenseman combination, while also highlighting Riellys mindset and physical condition as reasons for optimism about where his game is headed.
The bigger sign for Toronto may be what Hiller said about Riellys renewed passion for the game, because that kind of confidence can change how a player carries himself on the ice. Hiller also gave an update on Dakota Joshua, saying the forward is close to being ready but not yet at full capacity, a reminder that Toronto is still juggling lineup decisions even as a few important pieces begin to settle back into place. [Read more 🡒]