Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly hit a milestone Saturday night that only ten other players in franchise history had eclipsed which was 800 games wearing the blue and white jersey (ref: QuantHockey.com).
Drafted in the first round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by former general manager Brian Burke with the Toronto Maple Leafs fifth overall selection, Burke stated that he would have taken Rielly even if he had the first overall pick. Usually that kind of stuff sounds silly but Burke turned out to be more or less right.
Headed into the draft, not much was known to fans as he had suffered torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee and missed all but 18 WHL games in 2011-12. After being selected by the Leafs he was returned to the Moose Jaw Warriors where he averaged nearly a point per game and represented Team Canada at the World Junior Championships. The Vancouver native would make his professional debut at the end of the season with the Toronto Marlies appearing in 22 games between the end of the regular season and the playoffs.
In his draft plus one season Rielly would make the Leafs out of training camp and has remained with the club ever since. He is now in his 12th season with the club and leads all players from his draft class in games played while sitting third overall in points trailing forwards Filip Forsberg and Tomas Hertl.
Toronto Maple Leafs longest serving defenseman hits major milestone
Rielly joins Börje Salming, Tim Horton and Tomas Kaberle as the only defenseman in franchise history to eclipse 800 games and the first player since Kaberle to reach the mark.
It may be a memory that Rielly will want to forget as it was in arena (Boston) he has suffered more defeat than any other.
Saturday night, he played a season high 24:14 collecting a goal that would put the club up 2-1 in the second period but would last for only five minutes as the Bruins would tie the game and take the lead before the end of the period. Auston Matthews would tie the game in the last minute of regulation before Boston would take the victory in overtime.
Rielly's goal was the 83rd of his career which puts him one behind being in a three-way tie for fourth place among defenders in franchise history with Kaberle and Bryan McCabe.
He now sits 388 games behind franchise history leader George Armstrong and with Rielly currently in year three of an eight year deal it is likely the career Leaf will eventually become the franchise leader.