Morgan Rielly’s Role Under the Microscope as Leafs Grapple with Defensive Inconsistency
Morgan Rielly has long been a fixture on the Toronto Maple Leafs' blue line-an alternate captain, a power-play quarterback, and a player who’s logged heavy minutes through thick and thin. But as the Leafs push through the heart of the season, questions are starting to mount about whether Rielly’s current role still fits the team’s needs, particularly in a system that demands more defensive reliability.
Despite averaging north of 21 minutes per game, Rielly has struggled to find consistency in his own zone. Defensive lapses have become harder to ignore, especially with the Leafs fighting to stay competitive in a tight Eastern Conference race. And while no one questions Rielly’s commitment or his offensive instincts, it’s the defensive side of his game that’s drawing the most scrutiny.
On a recent episode of the Steve Dangle Podcast, analyst Adam Wylde didn’t mince words when evaluating Rielly’s current form. “If we’re looking at who in the top four is struggling the most, obviously, McCabe is fighting something, but I think defensively, it’s got to be Morgan Rielly,” Wylde said. “They continually put him out there in positions where I know he’s not going to succeed.”
That’s a bold statement about a player who’s been leaned on so heavily for years. But it’s not without merit.
Rielly’s usage continues to rank among the team’s highest, yet his defensive impact hasn’t matched that level of trust. The Leafs have other options-Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Jake McCabe, and Troy Stecher-who’ve shown flashes of being more dependable, especially in shutdown situations.
Wylde went as far as to suggest a reshuffling of the defensive hierarchy: “What we’re seeing is very clearly that Morgan Rielly should not be much more than the fourth in terms of time on ice on this team. It should be OEL, it should be McCabe, it should be Stecher. Morgan Rielly’s got to be fourth of four.”
That’s a significant shift from where Rielly has traditionally stood in the pecking order. But it also reflects the reality of a Leafs team that’s trying to tighten up defensively and find the right mix heading into the latter half of the season.
Of course, the contract looms large in any conversation about Rielly. He’s in the middle of an eight-year, $60 million deal signed back in October 2021, carrying a $7.5 million cap hit through the 2029-30 season.
But as Wylde pointed out, salary shouldn’t dictate usage. “I don’t care what he makes, not what he did when he signed the contract, and he was never great defensively,” Wylde said.
It’s a fair point. The NHL is a "what have you done for me lately" league, and while Rielly’s offensive contributions-six goals and 23 assists in 47 games-are respectable, his minus‑14 rating is a red flag for a player expected to anchor the back end.
Then there’s the power play, where Rielly’s role as quarterback is also under fire. He’s picked up five power-play assists this season but hasn’t found the back of the net with the man advantage. More concerning is the Leafs’ power-play efficiency with him on the ice-hovering around just 17%.
That’s not going to cut it for a team with as much offensive firepower as Toronto. And it’s why Wylde questioned the decision to keep Rielly as the point man.
“How is he quarterbacking the power play at this point?” Wylde asked. “34 points from OEL, and we’ve got Morgan Rielly, who cannot shoot.
And so what does a team do? If Morgan Rielly’s on the point, I don’t need to cover him, I’ll cover all the other forwards.
And if Rielly shoots, great… it’s a beach ball.”
It’s a harsh metaphor, but it speaks to a larger issue: predictability. When Rielly’s on the point and not viewed as a shooting threat, penalty kills can cheat toward Toronto’s forwards, shrinking the ice and limiting puck movement. That’s a tactical disadvantage the Leafs can’t afford-especially when other options, like Ekman-Larsson, are producing more consistently from the back end.
So where does that leave Rielly? Still an important piece, no doubt.
But perhaps not the top-pair, all-situations defenseman the Leafs have relied on him to be. With the trade deadline approaching and playoff positioning on the line, Toronto may need to rethink how they deploy their veteran blueliner.
Because in a season where every point matters, and every defensive breakdown is magnified, the margin for error is razor-thin. And for Morgan Rielly, that means the spotlight isn’t going anywhere.