It's a big step forward from the likes of Paul Ranger, Matt Hunwick, Tim Gleason and Martin Marincin; names who could barely crack a depth position on other teams but were thrust into high defensive situations that often fell on Rielly to alleviate. With Ekman-Larsson being able to control the powerplay, and Tanev providing big defensive presence and solid positioning, it could allow Rielly to take a more offensive approach to his game.
Rielly has always been an offensively minded player, though that's not to take away from his defensive ability. He managed to score 20 goals in 2018-2019 and has cracked the 50 point total in two of the last three seasons while also trying to be defensive option #1. Imagine the amount he could put in once his workload is lessened, and we could see him reach the 80 point plateau for the first time in his career.
It's been a long time coming since Toronto and Morgan Rielly have had the chance to breathe on the back end, but it's certainly a sigh of relief for Leafs fans who can take solace in knowing Rielly isn't the be all to end all for the defense.
