Sheldon Keefe explains the decision to scratch Morgan Rielly
Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly found himself in a bit of an unusual situation on Thursday night, watching the game from the press box thanks to a healthy scratch compliments of head coach Sheldon Keefe.
Rielly, the Leafs' top defenseman, is used to playing big minutes in all situations, often topping 25 minutes for he Buds. So, naturally, when Keefe announced that he would be scratched, it sparked a lot of questions surrounding what that would mean for the blueline rotation the rest of the way.
Following the Leafs' 6-2 win over the Panthers last night, Keefe was asked about Rielly being scratched. He revealed that the whole goal was to get Rielly some rest after playing 5 games in 9 nights. He admitted that we could see similar scratches coming for other defenders who typically play higher up in the lineup.
As I said before the game, Rielly just played five games in nine nights. This is a good break for him. We have a back-to-back coming up here, so I think you will see more of that trend continue." - Keefe on the decision to make Rielly a healthy scratch and what we can expect moving forward
It's not uncommon for coaches to rest players down the stretch, leading up to the playoffs. If Rielly is nursing any small bumps and bruises, much like what T.J. Brodie was dealing with earlier this week, then it makes sense for Keefe to want to give him a night or two off as we inch closer to the playoffs. The good thing is that, with 9 NHL defensemen on the roster, the Leafs have no shortage of bodies on the blueline.
