It has become a way too common theme for the Toronto Maple Leafs and their fanbase — the season ending in disappointment. Last year, despite winning the Atlantic Division, the Maple Leafs were eliminated in seven games by the Florida Panthers, despite leading the series three games to one.
One player who took the season particularly hard was defenseman and assistant captain Morgan Rielly, who didn't play up to his usual standard. Rielly told The Athletic's Joshua Kloke that he had an emotional talk with general manager Brad Treliving at the end of the season, and vowed to come back a better player.
Rielly mentioned a variety of things that might have contributed to his down season, but heavily cited how the rest of the league might have caught up to his play.
“I had to come to terms with the fact that I was disappointed in myself,” Rielly said. “And that’s a hard thing to admit sometimes for a grown up. And there’s not a lot of examples in my life where I’ve really felt that.”
Morgan Rielly opens up about disappointing 2024-25 season with Maple Leafs
Rielly took his talk with Treliving seriously and spent the majority of the offseason inside the Leafs facility, looking to improve his game heading into the 2025-26 season. Rielly said he skated and worked out, while altering his diet and sleep routine. The goal was to step away from his normal offseason routine like in the past, as it obviously didn't yield positive results last year.
Last regular season, Rielly recorded seven goals, 34 assists, and a plus/minus ratio of -8. As Kloke said, Rielly had averaged 1.4 points per 60 minutes, which was one of the lowest of his career.
The hope for Rielly, the team, and the fanbase is that these changes can result in the defenseman having a productive season and help the team make a run to a Stanley Cup title, something they haven't done since 1967.
This will be a new look for the Maple Leafs this upcoming season. Mitch Marner is no longer with the team, as he was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights and signed a massive eight-year, $96 million contract. So, it will be up to Auston Matthews and William Nylander to step up their game considering one cornerstone is already gone. It's up to the rest of the core behind them to also step up, including Rielly.
Rielly took his on-ice struggles last season to heart, and he's hoping it results in a better campaign and, hopefully, a Stanley Cup win and parade.