Toronto Maple Leafs: This Season’s Most Important Player
A new season for the Toronto Maple Leafs is fast approaching. At the end of the month, players will reconvene for another attempt at playoff glory.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are once again considered a strong contender thanks to their abundant talent, most of which has entered their prime years.
Feel-good vibes surround the team after signing superstar Auston Matthews to a four-year extension, and more recently, reupping with Sheldon Keefe, their most successful regular season coach in franchise history.
Their group of forwards is loaded with Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, John Tavares, the promising Matthew Knies, and newcomer Tyler Bertuzzi.
The resurgent Ilya Samsonov, rising Joseph Woll, and veteran Martin Jones give them reliable goaltending.
Yet, their Achilles heel is their defense, making one player indispensable to their success this year.
Morgan Rielly Is The Toronto Maple Leafs Most Important Player
The Leafs offseason moves to bolster their blue line have failed to move the needle. John Klingberg is a wishful lottery ticket on the wrong side of thirty, and Simon Benoit brings shot-blocking, size, and toughness, but is very bad when compared to almost any other NHL player.
The lack of sizzle with their additions coincided with Luke Schenn leaving and Jake Muzzin likely headed for another LTIR designation.
The Leafs current blue line depth chart is unimposing, without many sure things.
Veteran mainstays on last year’s defense, T.J. Brodie and Mark Giordano, started to show some warts during the end of last season and in the playoffs.
Jake McCabe started his tenure with the Leafs in promising fashion, but his play deteriorated in the second round against the Florida Panthers.
Timothy Liljegren offers upside but has yet to gain the trust of Keefe for important moments.
The aforementioned Rielly will be counted on more than ever with all of these question marks surrounding the Leafs defense.
Matthews and Marner are the engines of this team, but the Leafs can withstand their short-term absences from the lineup. The same goes for Samsonov or Woll.
A long-term absence of Rielly would be disastrous to the Leafs fortunes. They have no one capable of replacing what he brings to their defense.
He brings the best combination of skating, puck movement, positioning, and offensive contributions to the Leafs back end.
Any long-term absence of Matthews or Marner would be greatly detrimental to the team, but not to the extent of Rielly.
The Leafs would love a repeat of Rielly’s 2018-2019 season or even 2021-2022. Better yet, a repeat of his commanding playoff performance from last spring.
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The Toronto Maple Leafs defense is the weakest part of their team. Their offseason moves did little to lessen this worry, making Morgan Rielly their most important player.