Morgan Rielly's Nightmare Season: What's Behind the Star Defenceman's Shocking Struggles?

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne, and Sam McKee recently sat down to discuss the struggling Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly, and the conversation was nothing short of eye-opening. As one of the most talented and highly paid defencemen in the league, Rielly's inability to find his footing this season has left fans and pundits alike scratching their heads.

Despite being paired with a variety of different partners, Rielly has struggled to regain his footing, leaving many to wonder what's behind his shocking decline. Is it a matter of poor chemistry with his teammates, or is there something more sinister at play? According to Kypreos, Bourne, and McKee, the answer lies somewhere in between.

One of the primary concerns surrounding Rielly's game is his lack of consistency. At times, he looks like the dominant, puck-moving defenceman that the Maple Leafs paid top dollar for. However, those moments are few and far between, and are often overshadowed by sloppy play and mental lapses that have become all too familiar.

Bourne pointed out that Rielly's struggles may be attributed to the added pressure of being a top-pairing defenceman. With the weight of expectation comes a tremendous amount of stress, and it's possible that Rielly is feeling the heat. When you're making over $7 million per year, there's a certain level of performance that's expected, and anything less is deemed unacceptable.

McKee countered by suggesting that Rielly's problems may be more related to the team's overall defensive structure. When the Maple Leafs are playing well, Rielly is often at the forefront, making smart plays and jumped into the rush with ease. However, when the team is struggling, Rielly's tendencies to take risks and try to do too much can often backfire, leaving him and his teammates vulnerable to counter-attacks.

Kypreos took a more nuanced approach, citing Rielly's advanced statistics as a major concern. Despite his impressive raw numbers, Rielly's underlying metrics have taken a significant hit, with his corsi and fenwick numbers plummeting to career lows. This suggests that Rielly may be getting bogged down by the opposition's top lines, and is struggling to keep up with the pace of play.

So, what's the solution to Rielly's struggles? According to the trio, it's not as simple as just switching up his pairings or tweaking his gameplay. Rather, it's going to take a concerted effort from both Rielly and the Maple Leafs coaching staff to identify the root causes of his problems and work towards correcting them.

For Rielly, that means taking a long, hard look in the mirror and being honest about his performance. It means being more selective with his risks, and trusting his teammates to make plays rather than trying to do everything himself. It also means putting in the extra work to ensure that he's physically and mentally prepared for the demands of an 82-game season.

As for the Maple Leafs, it's about finding the right balance between letting Rielly play to his strengths and holding him accountable for his mistakes. It's about creating an environment where Rielly feels comfortable taking risks, but also has the support and structure to fall back on when things don't go according to plan.

In the end, Rielly's struggles are a microcosm of the Maple Leafs' larger issues. Until they can find a way to get their star defenceman back on track, it's unlikely that they'll be able to reach their full potential as a team. With the right combination of coaching, teamwork, and individual effort, however, there's still plenty of time for Rielly to turn his season around and lead the Maple Leafs on a deep playoff run.