Morgan Rielly

[Frank E]

Let's all remember that we were saying these things about Gardiner when he was dominating in the 1st round last season.  Rielly has had 3 games.  I don't think his 3 games or Gardiner's start to the season changes much about either player right now.

What would your standard opinion of Rielly be re: his start/play doesn't change much about him. Don't really understand what you're getting at.

That he's still a very young player that could easily and quickly take 2 steps backwards before too long and having some of the same concerns expressed about him as are expressed about Gardiner, despite his having dominated play for stretches.

QFT.

 

[Highlander]

One of the top NHL scouts said when the leafs drafted Rielly was that he was the closest thing he had seen to Bobby Orr ever..most scouts said he should have been number one. I think we all can agree we have something very special her. The best prospect on Defense since the game before Berard was blinded.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I don't think we should settle for just Bobby Orr. 

 

[Highlander]

frik Bobby frikken Orr...one day Morgan will have a Captain Morgan statue in his own home town.

 

[Bullfrog]

That he's still a very young player that could easily and quickly take 2 steps backwards before too long and having some of the same concerns expressed about him as are expressed about Gardiner, despite his having dominated play for stretches.

EDIT: And maybe that all goes without saying - but it's there now and can never be unsaid.

I expect some steps backwards; he's only 19 afterall. But his natural talents are so evident.

 

[Stronger Than All]

So should I order my jersey yet or what?

 

[ZBBM]

What do you all think about his defense?  The offense was never in question.

 

[Bender]

What do you all think about his defense?  The offense was never in question.

He's kinda like Gardiner, can skate his way out of anything. Other than his first game I didn't notice many times where he was caught and didn't get back.

 

[Jalili]

He's lived up to the hype. More than just his skill, I'm impressed by how sharp he is. Some guys have all the talent but don't have the IQ to match.

Right now, I'd say Gardiner might be in that category....although, I didn't see the game last night.

From what I've seen of Rielly, his puck possession game reminds me of Kabs back in the day.

Yeah that's the other thing about Rielly, he's got a real light touch that you don't see too often from D-men. Kaberle was like that, such a good passer.

It's crazy to see how far the Leafs have come skill-wise, compared to say, when they first traded for Kessel.

 

[Redleaf]

He's lived up to the hype. More than just his skill, I'm impressed by how sharp he is. Some guys have all the talent but don't have the IQ to match.

Right now, I'd say Gardiner might be in that category....although, I didn't see the game last night.

From what I've seen of Rielly, his puck possession game reminds me of Kabs back in the day.

Yeah that's the other thing about Rielly, he's got a real light touch that you don't see too often from D-men. Kaberle was like that, such a good passer.

It's crazy to see how far the Leafs have come skill-wise, compared to say, when they first traded for Kessel.

Yeah, they've certainly come a long way in a relatively short time. Morgan Rielly is going to be a big time player for this team. That play last game when he came back out of nowhere from the gaff by Bozak at the blue line, intercepted a Nashville pass, and took it all the way back up the ice for a scoring chance was pretty incredible. Then, seconds later, slapped it off a predators stick to set up another 2 on 1. Wow. You can just see the confidence building in him shift after shift game after game. Pretty damn impressive.

 

[pmrules]

I'm still torn on whether or not to send him down to junior for one more season. I see the talent....but part of me says be more patient. 

 

[ZBBM]

I'm still torn on whether or not to send him down to junior for one more season. I see the talent....but part of me says be more patient.

I'm with you, but OTOH more junior isn't going to do him any good.  I wish the AHL was a possibility.

 

[Bender]

I'm still torn on whether or not to send him down to junior for one more season. I see the talent....but part of me says be more patient.

Yeah, but being "patient" isn't a hard and fast rule. Being patient could mean playing him lower minutes if tha's his development curve. My view is this: If the kid can handle the workload give it to him.

Why is sending him back to junior the "patient" and therefore right thing to do when he's too good for that league? How will giving him less responsibility always be beneficial?

 

[Jalili]

I'm still torn on whether or not to send him down to junior for one more season. I see the talent....but part of me says be more patient.

Yeah, but being "patient" isn't a hard and fast rule. Being patient could mean playing him lower minutes if tha's his development curve. My view is this: If the kid can handle the workload give it to him.

Why is sending him back to junior the "patient" and therefore right thing to do when he's too good for that league? How will giving him less responsibility always be beneficial?

It's the context of the situation as well that matters. Sending him to a bottom feeder WHL team does what for him? Gives him more time to maybe hone his skills, buff up a bit more, but he's already strong in those areas.

They can send him back to Moose Jaw where he's the focal point of that team and everything runs through him, which isn't the worst thing in the world. But his time is better spent playing with other like-minded top tier players while facing top competition.

If he falters, which I think is what a lot of are worried about, I have no doubt he'll take it in stride and come back that much more prepared for next season.

 

[Arn]

  I wish the AHL was a possibility.

One of those things I've always known to be the case but never actually known why..  :-[ Is there an age limit in the AHL? What about ECHL? Why NHL or Junior only?

 

[Omallley]

  I wish the AHL was a possibility.

One of those things I've always known to be the case but never actually known why..  :-[ Is there an age limit in the AHL? What about ECHL? Why NHL or Junior only?

It has to do with the NHL/CHL agreement that's in place. Players eligible for Junior cannot be assigned to the AHL. But players from other leagues can, so you see European and American players end up in the AHL at that age...

 

[Arn]

Ah ok, cool, thanks. So it's a way for the CHL to keep the quality of their league up rather than lose some of their top end talent to the AHL?

 

[Omallley]

Ah ok, cool, thanks. So it's a way for the CHL to keep the quality of their league up rather than lose some of their top end talent to the AHL?

You've got it.

 

[ZBBM]

And now I'm leaning back toward sending him down.  Ugh ugh ugh.

 

[bakeapples]

Cherry jinxed him.

Its back to Moose Jaw once he gets to his limit or Fraser gets back