Maple Leafs’ Morgan Rielly Finding His Game With Chris Tanev Out

Under 20 games into their 2026-27 season the Toronto Maple Leafs are seeing injuries pile up on their back end. First it was Chris Tanev, followed by injuries to Marshall Rifai and Nick Blankenburg. Headlines are swirling that the team is still interested in landing a top-end defenceman with speculation ramping up on who could be going the other way.

Meanwhile in their own locker room, a familiar face has taken the lead in pulling a full 180 when it comes to his individual game. Maple Leafs’ veteran defenceman Morgan Rielly has seen a resurgence of sorts over the past couple of weeks – following a tough season in 2025-26 and with criticism mounting.

Rielly’s Timely Resurgence for Maple Leafs Blue Line

Following questions regarding his overall effectiveness and trade talks this past offseason, people wondered whether Rielly could still be a reliable impact player for the Maple Leafs. With Oliver Ekman-Larsson seemingly taking an offensive step back and the addition of Darren Raddysh, Rielly has shown early in 2026-27 that he can be what the Maple Leafs need given he’s in the right situation within the lineup. And it’s come at a time when the team really needs it – with Tanev out of the lineup.

Over the last five games, Rielly has recorded six points. Four of those are primary assists. All six of those points have come at five-on-five. He’s taken on a bigger role, once again, averaging 20:37 over that stretch and being on the ice while the Maple Leafs have outscored their opposition 8-3 – posting an expected goals share that is just shy of 53 percent.

For a guy that so many were ready to write off, those are encouraging numbers – especially for a player who has, historically, been an offensive defenceman.

On top of that, Rielly has really benefitted from playing with Troy Stetcher, who has two goals and an assist over that same stretch. The partnership has given the Maple Leafs a more traditional partnership with some defensive-minded coverage alongside offensive instincts. It’s allowed Rielly to focus more on his strengths in moving the puck and creating out of his transitional game – attacking at the right moments.

Rielly Filling the Void Left By Tanev

The injuries on the Maple Leafs’ blue line have proven to be quite the obstacle early in the season, with Tanev’s absence representing a significant challenge. His ability in the defensive zone, his blocked shots and ability to handle difficult assignments has been missed by the Maple Leafs – making him a valuable defender when healthy.

In his absence, however, Rielly has stepped up. This suggests that he’s embracing the challenge of not only filling in for Tanev, but also winning back the Maple Leafs’ faithful. The numbers at even strength over the last five games has shown that Rielly’s helped the team in generating more opportunities than they’ve given up with him on the ice.

His offensive vision seems to be back on track with his primary helpers and, as such, he’s directly generated scoring opportunities for his team.

With Tanev out of the lineup, Rielly has acknowledged the importance of his teammates stepping up – including himself – noting, “Players have to step up and try to fill that void.”

Since then, Rielly has led by example with his play on both ends of the puck.

Healthy Rielly Represents Stability on Maple Leafs Backend

All things considered, it’s safe to say that we’re seeing Rielly’s best run in some time. What’s important is that nobody places defensive expectations on him to become Tanev, because he’s not that player. Simultaneously, the offensive expectation can’t be that he’s a 80-point defenceman. Again, that’s just not who he is.

That said, Rielly’s offensive clip so far this season is 0.71 points per game. That puts him on pace for 60 points over an 84-game season. While he might not continue this pace, if he can play at a 50-point pace and mix in defensive stops, Rielly would be considered a valuable asset on this team’s backend.

Given the opportunity he’s had with Tanev out of the lineup, Rielly could realistically reestablish himself as a cornerstone player on the team’s blue line.