Editor In Leaf
Fansided

Toronto Maple Leafs Get Amazing News and OK News

By James Tanner

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 19: Morgan Rielly #44 of the Toronto Maple Leafs shoots against the Boston Bruins in Game Five of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Garden on April 19, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 19: Morgan Rielly #44 of the Toronto Maple Leafs shoots against the Boston Bruins in Game Five of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Garden on April 19, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Toronto Maple Leafs got some news on Monday.

In fact, the Toronto Maple Leafs received a double shot of good news concerning two injured players.

The Amazing news – Morgan Rielly is expected back next week.

The other good news – not quite as exciting, but still a positive development – is that Cody Ceci will also be back.

Toronto Maple Leafs Getting Healthy(ish)

The Leafs been on quite a hot streak lately.  They beat the Canucks on Saturday after sweeping a trip through Florida earlier in the week.

It’s a three game winning streak, made all the more impressive by the fact that the Leafs won all three games while missing five regulars from their lineup.

It’s incredible that just a week ago people were saying this team lacked heart and character, but I’m not sure there’s a better way to show those things in sports than by winning with 30% of your team (including half your blueline) on the injured reserve.

The Toronto Maple Leafs picked up six of their last six possible points while playing without Morgan Rielly, Jake Muzzin, Cody Ceci, Ilya Mikheyev and Andreas Johnsson.

This recent winning streak  has all but secured a playoff spot for the Leafs. 

Sure, it’s most likely going to be a first round series against Tampa, but considering the playoffs were in doubt just a couple weeks ago, who cares?

Personally, I like the Leafs chances, especially if healthy.

And speaking of health, reports are that the Leafs will get Morgan Rielly back sometime next week.

Rielly hasn’t played since January 12th when he broke his foot blocking a shot.  He is the Leafs best defenseman (by a mile) and the team hasn’t been the same since he went down.

The Leafs with Sheldon Keefe coaching and Morgan Rielly in the lineup are 15-5-2 which is an incredible 73%  points percentage.  (For perspective, the NHL’s best team by points percentage for the entire season has points in 71% of their games).

Since Rielly was injured, the Toronto Maple Leafs are 11-8-2 for a 57% points perspective (stats naturalstattrick.com).

It is clear that Rielly helps make the Leafs one of (if not the best) team’s in the NHL, and his return to the lineup cannot come soon enough.

As for Ceci, he wasn’t very good paired with Morgan Rielly to start the  year, but on the third pairing after Keefe correctly demoted him, the results were much, much better.

dark. Next. Leafs Top 10 Prospects Updated 2020

Ceci is also one of the Leafs best penalty killers, and if he hasn’t lost his job to Rasmus Sandin (which is entirely possible) he’ll be a welcome addition to the bottom of the lineup.

Slowly, the Toronto Maple Leafs are getting healthier.

Home/Analysis