Ex-NHLer Ray Ferraro Believes Leafs Fans Have Unrealistic Expectations of Morgan Rielly
Former NHLer Ray Ferraro believes Maple Leafs fans have unrealistic expectations of veteran defenseman Morgan Rielly, making it almost impossible for him to thrive.
During the Toronto Maple Leafs' disappointing 5-1 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, one player who struggled once again was veteran defenseman Morgan Rielly.
Rielly has been under a lot of scrutiny recently, as his play has not lived up to expectations. He has seen a decrease in ice time and has been removed from the top power-play unit.
On the "Leafs Morning Take podcast" this week, Ferraro discussed Rielly's situation, suggesting that the defenseman may be unfairly criticized. He compared Rielly's situation to his own experience as a player
Ferraro raises a valid point. Rielly had a breakout season in 2018-19, posting 20 goals and 72 points. That year, however, is looking more an more like an outlier, as he has not come close to those numbers since.
The bigger issue here appears to be, if the Leafs had any inclination at any point that Morgan Rielly wasn't a true number one defenseman, why have they been incessantly attempt to cram a square peg into a round hole without actually solving the problem, and going to and finding themselves a true top pairing defenseman?
In reality, Rielly is more of a 50-point defenseman who can contribute by chipping in offensively and using his mobility and vision in the D zone to establish a clean breakout. He could still be a valuable asset to any team, but not the high-end producer some fans may expect him to be.
Many fans have called for a trade, with Rielly frequently being mentioned in rumours of late. While trading him may be an option, it's crucial that the Leafs get good value in return if they do.
Rielly remains a valuable player, but it's clear that he's underperformed in his role with the Leafs. The unfortunate truth is that Rielly may be better suited for a secondary role, rather than being forced into a top pairing role, which has been the case during his time in Toronto.
