Morgan Rielly wasted little time getting back in the good graces of the Toronto Maple Leafs and their fans. The Maple Leafs' longest-serving player, who has been the subject of offseason trade speculation, struggled last season under coach Craig Berube's first year in Toronto.
The smooth-skating defenseman was by far the Leafs' best player during the team's opening-night 5-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens. The storied rivals played a tight, competitive match in front of a quiet crowd (perhaps they were distracted by keeping tabs on the city's baseball team).
Anthony Stolarz, fresh off signing a four-year extension, kept the Leafs in the game until they found their footing. He looked steady and in control throughout the evening, making 29 saves on 31 shots.
Rielly's outstanding play leads to Leafs win
The Maple Leafs started fast by scoring exactly one minute into the contest, something they didn't do at all during the 2024-25 regular season. Bobby McMann, coming off an extended scoring drought from last season, deflected a William Nylander wrist shot from the slot after centerman John Tavares won an offensive zone faceoff.
That was one of the few highlights from an uninspiring first period for the home team. On the Leafs' first power-play of the year, Nylander made a careless neutral zone pass that resulted in a turnover and a shorthanded goal for Oliver Kapanen. Goaltender Anthony Stolarz, Morgan Rielly, and McMann were on the short list of players who shone for Toronto.
Things didn't get much better to start the second period. Another neutral-zone turnover, this time by defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, led to a goal from Zac Bolduc after he poked in a Brendan Gallagher rebound. The goal came 1:30 into the period.
A little over four minutes later, Calle Jarnkrok tied the game for the Maple Leafs. Rielly came close to scoring earlier on the shift after joining the rush. The Leafs kept the puck in the Canadiens' zone, and Rielly, this time at the left point, directed a shot on net, and Jarnkrok was quick to put away the rebound. Rielly was noticeable throughout two periods, effectively joining the rush on many occasions.
Rielly gave the Maple Leafs the lead for good at 10:58 of the third period, again after joining the rush. This time, the Leafs were the beneficiaries of a neutral zone turnover. Matias Maccelli intercepted a Canadiens pass just outside the Toronto blue line and found a streaking Matthew Knies for a partial breakaway. After being stopped on a forehand deke attempt, he had the wherewithal to find Rielly in the slot, and the Leafs' best player on this night buried one high on the glove side of the Canadiens' goalie, Samuel Montembeault.
He Rielly roofed that thang 🤢@OREO | #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/5gUXdZusqD
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) October 9, 2025
Rielly's goal, which turned out to be the game-winner, was the first time the Maple Leafs' top line found the score sheet. It was well over halfway through the game before that line registered a shot on net.
It remained a one-goal game until late in the third period when Toronto iced the game with a pair of empty-net goals from their stars. Auston Matthews caught up to a soft pass from Nylander in the Canadiens' end just in time to poke it across the goal line. Just over a minute later, Nylander deposited his empty-netter after a pass from Lorentz.
It wasn't a perfect performance by the Maple Leafs, and Berube knows there is much work ahead, but for a team often previously reliant on its stars, they can take pride in a season-opening win powered by their depth, a rejuvenated defenseman, and a goalie looking to join the league's elite. It's the kind of start that can build belief in the team's new foundation.