Morgan Rielly

Lore & Background

Rielly played minor hockey for the Notre Dame Hounds in Wilcox, Saskatchewan, where he was the top-scoring defenceman in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League with 55 points in 43 games and helped his team win Canada's national midget championship. He was selected second overall by the Moose Jaw Warriors in the 2009 WHL bantam draft and joined the Warriors for the 2010–11 season. Despite a torn anterior cruciate ligament that caused him to miss most of the 2011–12 season, he returned for the playoffs and was ranked fifth among North American skaters by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau.

Rielly made his professional debut with the Toronto Marlies of the AHL at the end of the 2012–13 season and made the Maple Leafs' roster out of training camp for the 2013–14 season. He scored his first NHL goal on December 16, 2013, against Marc-André Fleury. Over subsequent seasons, he set career highs in goals, assists, and points, and signed a six-year, $30 million contract on April 13, 2016. Before the 2016–17 season, he was named an alternate captain. In 2018–19, he became the first Maple Leafs defenceman to score 20 goals in a season since Al Iafrate in 1989–90 and recorded the first 70-point season by a Toronto defenceman since Börje Salming in 1980.

Rielly signed an eight-year, $60 million extension on October 29, 2021. After years of first-round playoff exits, he was critical to the Maple Leafs' first series win since 2004 in the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs, scoring the game-winning overtime goal in game 3 and the game-tying goal in game 4 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. On February 10, 2024, he received a five-game suspension for cross checking Ridly Greig in the head. During the 2025–26 season, he became the second-highest scoring defenceman in franchise history, passing Tomáš Kaberle on the assists leaderboard.

Reader's Guide

Morgan Rielly's significance to the Toronto Maple Leafs lies in his consistent offensive production from the blue line over more than a decade. He has set multiple franchise records for defencemen, including the fastest start to a season by a blueliner (12 points in the first five games of 2018–19) and the first 70-point season by a Maple Leafs defenceman since 1980. His 20-goal season in 2018–19 was the first by a Toronto defenceman since 1989–90. Rielly has been a durable presence, appearing in all 82 games in the 2024–25 season, and has elevated his play in the postseason, leading all Maple Leafs defencemen in goals and points during the 2024 playoffs. His leadership role as an alternate captain and his long-term contract extension through 2029 underscore his importance to the franchise. By November 2025, he had become the second-highest scoring defenceman in team history, a testament to his longevity and offensive skill. Despite occasional injuries and a suspension, Rielly has remained a cornerstone of the Maple Leafs' defence, contributing to the team's first playoff series win in 19 years in 2023.

Did You Know?

• Rielly was drafted fifth overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2012 NHL entry draft.
• He was suspended for five games in February 2024 for cross checking Ridly Greig in the head.

From Small-Town Saskatchewan to the NHL Draft

Morgan Rielly's path to professional hockey began in the small community of Wilcox, Saskatchewan, where he played minor ice hockey for the Notre Dame Hounds. By his final midget season, he had established himself as the top-scoring defenceman in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League, amassing 55 points across 43 games while his team captured Canada's national midget championship. His talent drew the attention of the Moose Jaw Warriors, who selected him second overall in the 2009 WHL bantam draft. His rookie WHL campaign in 2010–11 saw him log 65 games and 28 points, but the following year brought a devastating setback: a torn anterior cruciate ligament that cost him most of the 2011–12 season. Despite missing the bulk of that year, Rielly still ranked fifth among North American skaters according to the NHL Central Scouting Bureau. The Toronto Maple Leafs rewarded his resilience by selecting him fifth overall in the 2012 NHL entry draft, and he signed with the club just before the 2012–13 lockout began.

A Historic Offensive Outburst in 2018–19

The 2018–19 campaign stands as the defining offensive stretch of Rielly's career. He opened the season with a career-high four assists in a 7–4 victory over Dallas, then passed Bobby Orr's record for most points by a defenceman in a team's first five games with 12. An assist the following night gave him the longest season-opening point streak by a defenceman in franchise history. He was named NHL 3 Stars of the Week for the first time, followed by a second star of the week nod after leading the league with six assists and scoring an overtime goal against Chicago during a four-game winning streak. By December 20, he became the first NHL defenceman that year to reach 40 points. On January 23, 2019, he became the first Maple Leafs defenceman to post consecutive 50-point seasons since Tomáš Kaberle's three straight years in the mid-2000s. His 20th goal of the season on March 16 made him the first Leafs defenceman to score 20 goals in a year since Al Iafrate in 1989–90. He finished with a career-high 72 points, the first 70-point season by a Leafs defenceman since Börje Salming in 1980.

Earning a Leadership Role and Team Impact

Rielly's standing within the Toronto organization grew steadily as his on-ice contributions expanded. During the 2015–16 season, head coach Mike Babcock and other management figures publicly praised his development, and he began seeing increased ice time while frequently anchoring the club's top pairing. That recognition was formalized on April 13, 2016, when he signed a six-year, $30 million contract averaging $5 million per season. Before the 2016–17 campaign, he was named one of the Maple Leafs' alternate captains alongside Tyler Bozak, Leo Komarov, and Matt Hunwick. That same season, he spent most of the year paired with rookie Nikita Zaitsev on the shutdown defence unit and finished with 27 points in 76 games, earning a nomination for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. In 2017–18, despite a mid-season injury that placed him on injured reserve for six games, he and Jake Gardiner became the first two Toronto defencemen to each record 50+ points in a single season since Tomáš Kaberle and Bryan McCabe did so in 2006–07. Rielly finished with a career-high 46 assists and 52 points, helping the team reach the playoffs where they pushed Boston to seven games before falling in the first round.

International Success and Franchise Legacy

Beyond the NHL, Rielly has represented Canada on multiple international occasions, with his most notable achievement coming at the 2016 World Championship, where he earned a gold medal as part of the Canadian squad. His domestic legacy is equally remarkable. He made his NHL debut on October 5, 2013, against the Ottawa Senators, and scored his first NHL goal on December 16 of that year against Marc-André Fleury of Pittsburgh. His first multi-goal game came on February 10, 2015, when he scored twice against Cam Talbot of New York. His first four-point game arrived on November 11, 2016, in a 6–3 win over Philadelphia. By the time he reached the 50-point mark in his 49th game of 2018–19, only three other Maple Leafs defencemen in franchise history had reached that threshold faster: Börje Salming in 42 games, Babe Pratt in 44, and Bryan McCabe in 45. He was also one of only three defencemen under the age of 25 to record at least 50 points that season, cementing his place among the elite offensive blueliners of his generation.