Morgan Rielly may end up starting with the Toronto Maple Leafs come training camp, but is it automatic he plays on the top defence pair? David Alter investigates.
When the Toronto Maple Leafs open up training camp in September, there’s about a 50/50 shot that Morgan Rielly, who has been the talk of much trade speculation, will remain a part of the blue and white.
So if the longest-tenured Leaf remains in Toronto to start the season, where should he play? Is it automatic that he plays on the top pair alongside the newly-acquired Darren Raddysh?
On paper, the idea carries some appeal. Rielly’s the longest-tenured Maple Leaf, a previous high-end offensive defenceman, and a player who has logged heavy minutes in all situations for more than a decade. Pairing him with Raddysh, a right-shot who just posted a career-high 70 points expected to run the power play, gives Toronto a pairing with clear offensive potential. Rielly’s ability to move the puck and join the rush could, in theory, complement Raddysh’s shot and vision from the point.
But the counterargument is stronger, and it is the one currently carrying more weight around the organization.
Rielly turns 33 in the coming season. While he’s capable of producing offence in spurts, his defensive game and overall impact have trended downward in recent years. Possession numbers, quality of competition, and the ability to suppress chances against have all raised legitimate questions about whether he is still best suited for the toughest matchups. Raddysh, for all his offensive upside, will need a reliable partner who can handle the defensive end of the ice when the pair is deployed against top lines. That is an area where Jake McCabe has consistently outperformed Rielly over the past two seasons.
McCabe is the more natural complementary piece. He plays a heavier, more structured game, wins battles along the walls, and has shown he can absorb difficult minutes without the pairing becoming a liability. Putting Rielly next to Raddysh risks creating a pairing that can generate offence but may struggle to defend consistently over an 82-game schedule and into the playoffs. Under new head coach Jim Hiller, who values structure and details, that risk appears less attractive.
There is also the larger roster context. General manager John Chayka has emphasized adding puck-moving ability and secondary scoring from the blue line. Raddysh checks those boxes. The organization still needs someone on the left side who can stabilize the pair defensively. McCabe has been that player. Rielly, while still useful, looks more like a second-pair option who can drive a unit with Chris Tanev or provide offence in sheltered minutes. The counter to that is the Leafs have tried pairing Rielly and Tanev before and did not go well. However, that was under previous head coach Craig Berube.
None of this means Rielly has no value if he stays. He can still contribute on the power play, mentor younger defencemen, and provide experience. But elevating him back to the top pair next to Raddysh requires a leap of faith based more on past production than current two-way effectiveness.
The decision will ultimately be settled on the ice in September. Chemistry, health, and early camp performances will matter. Yet the early projection leaning toward McCabe on the left side of Raddysh is not accidental. It reflects a growing belief that the Leafs need defensive reliability at the top of the lineup more than they need another offensive defenceman trying to recapture past form.
If Rielly is still in Toronto when camp opens, the question will not be whether he can play. It will be whether giving him the top-pair left role next to Raddysh is the best use of both players. Right now, the evidence suggests it is not.