Babcock Explains Why Rielly Playing Right Side Experiment Is Over.

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February 13, 2019 (11:11)

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"When the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired defenseman Jake Muzzin from the Los Angeles Kings, it left some scratching their head. It was a huge trade for the Leafs as they finally landed a top 4 defenseman, however they had landed a lefty and not the right handed defenseman everybody was hoping for. Original reports by Darren Dreger and others stated that Muzzin would move to the right side and Morgan Rielly would be his partner. However head coach Mike Babcock decided to do the opposite, moving Rielly to the right side while Muzzin played his regular left side. Former Los Angeles Kings coach Darryl Sutter told Sportsnet that in all his years of coaching him he had never seen Muzzin play on the right. Well Babcock was done with his Rielly on the right side experiment last night and explained why. "We think Mo should play on the left. We think he provides way more offence, way more shots and he is a better player there."
Babcock reunited Rielly with Ron Hainsey while dropping Muzzin down beside Nikita Zaitsev.
Babcock made D changes because he didn't like way #Leafs broke out in the first period. Also: "We think Mo should play on the left. We think he provides way more offence, way more shots and he is a better player there."
— Terry Koshan (@koshtorontosun) February 13, 2019

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