The Toronto Maple Leafs were without a key piece in their lineup during their latest matchup against the Ottawa Senators, as Morgan Rielly was ruled out by Craig Berube due to a lower-body injury.
Rielly was listed as day-to-day just hours before puck drop on Saturday. Craig Berube spoke pregame on the reasoning for his absence: “I just made a decision on Rielly this morning.” “With him being sick earlier in the week and coming back, he aggravated something against Carolina on Friday, I don’t want it to be an extended-length thing.” This latest report should have the Maple Leafs worried moving forward. The defenceman has been dealing with a lingering injury all season that he can't seem to shake off.
D Morgan Rielly (lower body) will be unavailable for tonight’s game and is listed as day-to-day.
— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) March 21, 2026
Difficult season for both Rielly and the Maple Leafs
It’s been a difficult season overall for Rielly, and his absence only adds to the challenges the Leafs have faced on the back end. He has struggled at even strength, having been on the ice for a high number of goals against compared to others around the league, with his plus-minus currently at -17. For a player who typically logs heavy minutes and plays in key situations, those numbers highlight just how tough this season has been defensively for both him and the team collectively.
This has been a similar situation seen with Matthew Knies for the entirety of the season, with the Maple Leafs far out of a playoff spot and destined to miss the postseason for the first time in a decade. They should opt to give these players the rest and recovery time needed heading into next season. If Morgan Rielly is still a member of the Maple Leafs next season, they need him to be at his very best and much better than this season.
Morgan Rielly's future up in the air
Along with the on-ice struggles, Rielly's future with the team is up in the air. Many believe the Maple Leafs management staff has begun having conversations on if he is a potential fit within the lineup moving forward. Rielly still has four years remaining on his 8-year $60 million deal, with a full no-movement clause making any trade or decision that much harder. Rielly will have the leverage in any potential trade, ultimately having the deciding factor on where he plays next season.
For now, the focus remains on getting Reilly healthy. With this disastrous season coming to a close, it may be time to let him rest and have his time as a Maple Leaf come to an end. Morgan Rielly has proved to be an effective defenceman in the NHL; however, this season has been one that he would like to forget.