Morgan Rielly gets early Olympic break, Maple Leaf defence in flux

Article content

The Maple Leafs defence: Who’s in, who’s out, and who’s likely to stay long term, was a big pre-game question Monday in Calgary.

Article content

Before the late-start road game against the Flames, head coach Craig Berube revealed that Morgan Rielly’s upper-body injury from Saturday in Vancouver will keep him out of both final games as the road trip concludes, allowing him to start his Olympic break early.

Article content

Article content

Berube alluded to the three weeks off being vital to Rielly’s well-being in mind and body, after much public criticism for a slip in team defensive coverage was aimed at the 31-year-old alternate captain.

“The break will do him a lot of good, a rest and getting healthy and fresh,” Berube told reporters in Calgary after the morning skate.

Berube said he didn’t see how the injury from the mid-game mishap in Vancouver procured, only that Rielly briefly tested it in the tunnel and couldn’t go further. The coach added it’s part of pain that Rielly has been dealing with for awhile.

“We haven’t mentioned it, it’s been going on and it obviously got worse.”

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Play Video

Lingering injury

Berube would not link it to Rielly’s frequent appearances in highlights of opposition players celebrating goals and a minus-17 that would be tied for his second worst full-season showing.

Article content

Article content

“Any time you have that lingering (issue) it affects your play for sure. But I don’t think that was a big reason (for his personal drop-off) if you look at our team’s play (early season) when we weren’t doing a lot in that stretch — I know we talk about his play a lot — he was (only) part of it.”

Rielly, who missed just one game this year, has six straight seasons of 30 or more points and was on the top power-play unit, which likely will go to Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Simon Benoit and Philippe Myers were slated to come back in the lineup against the Flames, with Rielly hurt and Marshall Rifai showing some rust in his first game this year in Vancouver. The Leafs will likely make more changes when facing the Edmonton Oilers less than 24 hours later.

There has been plenty of scrutiny on Rielly’s regular partner, Brandon Carlo, as well. Brought in to boost the Leafs blue line for playoffs from Boston at great expense in a deal for centre prospect Fraser Minten and a conditional first-round pick, Carlo didn’t have the anticipated impact, then was hurt much of this season with an ankle injury and subsequent surgery. Like Rielly, he was fingered for general team difficulties on coverage.

Article content

“I’m just trying to focus on finding things that are in my control,” Carlo told The Hockey News on Monday. “Just try to ride that storm.”

It’s the second straight season he’s lived with trade uncertainty and playoff peril. The difference this year is his lower cap hit of $3.485 million is good through another season and Toronto might pick up more of his salary to attract buyers. There will be a trade/roster freeze when the break starts and the actial trade deadline is March 6.

Carlo wants to remain with the Leafs

But Carlo told THN he doesn’t want to leave.

“I know it hasn’t gone as great this year with the team, but I think we have a really good group in here. I love the role I have. I don’t think we’re far off. I’ve seen our group play the way we can play.

“I would definitely like to stay.”

Minten, meanwhile, can’t stay out of the headlines in Beantown.

The Leafs second-round pick in 2022 was named NHL rookie of the month in January with eight goals, six assists, and a plus-12 in 14 games. Minten is also getting second-line centre ice time because of Boston injuries and though he didn’t score in Sunday’s outdoor game against Tampa Bay it was tremendous national exposure

Article content

His eight goals were the most in a month by a Bruin rookie since Brad Marchand. Minten’s play, including second unit power-play time, prompted coach Marco Sturm to use a term Toronto general manager Brad Treliving wouldn’t want to hear.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Play Video

“You could see the first rounders, the early picks, they just have that (gift ),right? But then he was a steal for us. He just has that quality I’d say to (play) up and down the lineup right away at his early age.

“We’re going to stay on top of it, not going to let it slip. That’s why he was not on the power play for a long time. We just wanted to make sure we did the right thing, keep developing him to become a complete player.”

Berube said before the game that Joseph Woll was getting consecutive starts in net to capitalize on his “momentum” from Saturday’s shootout win that broke a season-worst six-game losing streak and brought the Leafs back within 10 points of a wildcard playoff spot.

Lhornby@postmedia.com
X: @sunhornby

Article content