Throughout his 12-year career, Morgan Rielly has been a key contributor to the Toronto Maple Leafs’ success. The 30-year-old defenseman has consistently logged significant minutes and showcased strong offensive instincts, reaching the 40-point mark in five of the past seven seasons.

However, this year marks a shift in Rielly’s role, arguably for the better. Under new head coach Craig Berube, his average ice time has decreased. After averaging 23:44 last season and 22:12 over his career, Rielly has averaged just 21:28 in the first ten games, with half of those games seeing him under 21 minutes per night. This represents a reduction of over two minutes compared to last season.

As a result, Rielly’s offensive numbers have fluctuated. He currently has only two assists and is projected for 41 points, which would match his total from the previous season but fall short of the 58 points he scored in 2023-24. On a positive note, he has scored three goals this season, including one against Winnipeg, which is nearly half of his seven goals from 72 games last year.

If this trend continues, Rielly is on track to achieve the highest expected goals share at 5-on-5 of his career, indicating an improvement in the quality of chances the Leafs create versus what they allow while he’s on the ice. His expected goals share of 54.38 percent in the first ten games is the best he’s recorded since his 55.01-percent share in 2016-17, according to naturalstattrick.com.

With a stronger defensive lineup, Berube has been able to distribute minutes more evenly, allowing Rielly to appear fresher and more confident when joining the offensive rush. Whether partnered with veterans Chris Tanev or Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Rielly has thrived in his role this season.

Having experienced everything from Toronto’s rebuilding phase to the development of its ‘Core Four,’ Rielly now approaches the game with the confidence that he doesn’t need to shoulder the entire burden for the team’s success.

The Leafs hope to have Rielly for a complete 82-game season, although he has only accomplished that twice in the last six years. Berube’s decision to limit his minutes early in the season should help him remain engaged, effective, and better rested as the regular season progresses. Rielly is clearly benefiting from the team’s enhanced depth, which will help him maintain peak performance throughout the demanding season.