Morgan Rielly
Image: NHL

Morgan Rielly

Hometown:

Vancouver British Columbia

Team:

Toronto Maple Leafs

Currently Playing In:

Pro

Birthday:

1994-03-09
Position:

D

Eligible for draft:

2012
Shoots:

Left
Drafted:

2012
Height:

6-0
Acquired:

1st round (5th overall), 2012
Weight:

190 lbs.
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History

2009-10: The second overall selection in the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft (by Moose Jaw), Morgan Rielly skated for the midget AAA Notre Dame Hounds in Saskatchewan. In 43 games he scored 18 goals with 37 assists and had 20 penalty minutes. Rielly scored 7 goals with 2 assists in 13 playoff games for the Hounds.

2010-11: Rielly joined the Moose Jaw Warriors for his first WHL season and was selected to play for Canada at the 2011 U18 World Junior Championship as a 16-year-old. He also skated for Canada Pacific at the U17 World Hockey Challenge. In 65 games for the East Division champion Warriors he scored 6 goals with 22 assists and was minus-15 with 21 penalty minutes. Rielly skated in six playoff games for the Warriors and was minus-3 with 6 assists. He skated in all seven games for Canada at the U18 WJC and scored 2 goals with 1 assist and was minus-3. Canada lost to Russia in the bronze medal game. In six games for Canada Pacific at the World Hockey Challenge he scored 2 goals with 3 assists and 4 penalty minutes.

2011-12: Rielly got off to a fast start for Moose Jaw and appeared to be headed for a big year before suffering a knee injury in the early fall that would keep him out for the rest of the regular season. He scored 3 goals with 15 assists and was plus-6 in 18 games before being injured. Rielly returned for the Warriors' first round playoff series with Regina; skating in all five games and posting 3 assists while finishing minus-1. Rielly was ranked fifth amongst North American Skaters in Central Scouting's final rankings prior to the 2012 NHL Draft.

2012-13: Rielly signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Maple Leafs in August of 2012. He made his pro hockey debut with Toronto's AHL affiliate in March of 2013 as a 19-year-old after skating for the WHL's Moose Jaw Warriors and representing Canada in the 2013 World Junior Championship. Rielly scored 1 goal with 2 assists and was -1 in eight regular season games with the Marlies, who finished first in the North Division and reached the second. Rielly scored 1 goal and was -2 in eight playoff games. Bouncing back from his knee injury the previous season, Rielly scored 12 goals with 42 assists in 60 games with Moose Jaw and was -8 with 19 penalty minutes. The Warriors missed the WHL playoffs; finishing fourth in the East Division. Rielly scored 1 goal with 2 assists and was -2 with 2 penalty minutes in six games at the WJC. Canada lost to Russia in overtime in the bronze medal game.

 

Talent Analysis

Rielly was the top offensive defenseman in the 2012 draft class, and one of the WHL’s top defensemen in 2013.  His skating, passing, and puck skills are all top-notch, and he puts those skills to good use.  Rielly has the look of a future power-play quarterback and puck-rushing defenseman.  He'll need to work on his defensive game, but that isn't likely to keep him from making an arrival in the NHL sooner rather than later.

 

 

Future

Rielly is likely headed back to junior for the 2013-14 season since he is ineligible to play in the AHL. However, a strong NHL training camp could see him snag a spot on the parent club

Rielly tops among drafted WHL defensemen

by Glen Erickson
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Photo: Minnesota Wild defensive prospect Matt Dumba received a brief look from the parent club to start the 2012-13 season before being returned to his WHL team, the Red Deer Rebels (courtesy of Brad Rempel/Icon SMI)

Our ranking of the drafted WHL defensemen includes a mix of offensively gifted players and prototypical “shut down” defensemen. For this list, the criteria we ranked “signed” prospects currently playing in the WHL. A handful of these defensemen attended their respective NHL training camps.

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Video: 2013 World Junior Championship – Morgan Rielly, Canada

by Chapin Landvogt
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Morgan Rielly - Canada

Photo: Moose Jaw Warriors defenseman and Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Morgan Rielly and his Team Canada teammates will battle for the bronze medal against familiar protagonist, Russia (courtesy of Imago/Icon SMI)

For Team Canada, anything less than winning the gold medal at the U-20 World Junior Championship is considered a major disappointment. But, for the third consecutive year, Canada is in just that position as they dropped their WJC semi-final game to the USA, 5-1.

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The Toronto Maple Leafs junior prospects feature a handful of the organizations top young talent such as Tyler Biggs, Matt Finn, Morgan Rielly, and Stuart Percy. In total the Maple Leafs have eight prospects playing in the Ontario Hockey League, and only two in Rielly (WHL) and Dominic Toninato (USHL) playing in other North American junior leagues. The Maple Leafs have three prospects from the junior level heading to World Junior camps this December.

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Team Rankings: Anaheim Ducks continue to have solid talent at all positions

by HF Staff
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Photo: After playing the past three seasons in Finland, defenseman Sami Vatanen made his way to North America and currently plays for the AHL affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks. (Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

Below is the middle section Hockey’s Future’s NHL Team Rankings. The teams are ranked in terms of the quality of their overall prospect pool as voted on by the staff of Hockey's Future. For reference, just the top five prospects are listed. To be eligible, a prospect must meet HF's prospect criteria. The rankings are done twice a year, with the second scheduled to be published in the Spring.

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Defensive prospects an area of strength for the Toronto Maple Leafs’ system

by John-Eric Iannicello
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Photo: Carter Ashton is just one of a handful of young forwards the Maple Leafs have acquired over the past two years. (Jeanine Leech/Icon SMI)

The additions of defensemen Morgan Rielly and Matt Finn at the 2012 NHL Draft have bolstered what was once a weak point in the Toronto Maple Leafs’ system. They are added to a list of names such as Korbinian Holzer, Jesse Blacker, Stuart Percy, and Petter Granberg that are in the fold currently. Each player offers a different dynamic that should complement the team’s defensive core if they continue to progress in their development.

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