The Toronto Maple Leafs are only two days into training camp, but Morgan Rielly’s spot in the lineup already stands out as one of the early twists.
Rielly missed the opening day after dealing with something viral, according to head coach Jim Hiller. Instead of going through a full practice, he skated with the Marlies group. On Friday, he was back and fully involved at the Ford Performance Centre - just not in the role many would have expected for the Leafs’ longest-tenured player.
Multiple beat reporters at camp noted that Rielly was working beside newcomer Emil Andrae on what appears to be the projected third pair.
Ahead of them, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Darren Raddysh were together on the top pair, while Jake McCabe and Chris Tanev stayed paired up from day one. Troy Stecher and Nick Blankenburg remained the extra pairing.
The setup raises an obvious question: could a reduced role actually unlock something for Rielly?
For years, he led the Leafs in ice time. Then McCabe took over that spot last season, and Rielly does not look like he’s going to reclaim it. Instead, the idea now seems to be a more sheltered third-pair role that could let him lean into what he does best offensively.
If these pairings hold into the season, the Leafs would be presenting a pretty unusual look.
Ekman-Larsson and Raddysh would be a fascinating first pair, especially since Ekman-Larsson once filled a version of Rielly’s current niche - a defenseman with offensive pop, but not one asked to carry a heavy defensive load. Put those two together at the top, and Toronto would be embracing a very attack-minded approach from the back end. It could be a high-event combination in every sense.
McCabe and Tanev, meanwhile, would bring the opposite style. They’re the pair that just eats pucks, keeps things simple, and handles the dirty work.
Then there’s the uncertainty around the rest of the group. Rielly looks like a fixture, but if he’s on the third pair - possibly on his off-side - alongside a rotating mix of Andrae, Blankenburg, and Stecher, it’s hard to know exactly what kind of impact that would produce.
The timing makes it even more notable. After a summer of trade rumors and talk that Rielly might already be somewhere else, this setup points to a role that makes some sense - while also complicating any idea of moving him. A defenseman on the bottom pair at $7.5 million per season for the next four seasons is not an easy sell.
For now, it’s one big question mark.
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