Leafs Defenseman Morgan Rielly Demoted Following Recent Struggles
The Toronto Maple Leafs made a crucial decision in practice today involving Morgan Rielly.
This season could be chalked up as a disappointment for the Leafs, at least when it comes to their play on the man advantage. After starting the season with an abysmal powerplay, they exploded out of nowhere and showed glimpses of the true firepower they possess.
But they've gone cold and have been so wildly inconsistent there's a potential for the man running the show to lose his job.
After experimenting back and forth with various players, nothing seems to stick for the team.
So on Monday, it was back to the drawing board, and it led the team to giving their longest-tenured player a demotion in order to try and get both the special teams and him back on the right track.
Morgan Rielly's Demotion Should Be A Wake Up Call
Going back to the five-man powerplay unit is Craig Berube's way of trying to expand the offense and create a bullrush of shots and traffic in order to maximize their chances.
However, they've done this in the past and while they have had varying success, the lack of consistency is becoming a problem. Rielly has not been the player Toronto needs him to be this season and has only one powerplay goal and six assists on the man advantage.
Compare that to last season where he didn't necessarily score a lot but he added a ton of offense by way of helpers.
He's playing less time, he's shooting less, and when the puck skips over his stick multiple times in the same powerplay it can lead to fan frustration.
But it should also be a wakeup call for the forwards and for Marc Savard.
Hired to bring in the prowess he employed with Craig Berube in St. Louis, he has made a once powerful man advantage a middling one, and his inability to get it together should be worrying and a good indicator that change needs to be made.
This season, Rielly has five goals and 15 assists, but is an atrocious minus-14 while being way less aggressive, and way more prone to giving the puck away.
