Morgan Rielly hasn’t been playing at 100%
By Zach Laing
4 years agoToronto Maple Leafs D Morgan Rielly hasn’t been playing at 100% this season having been suffering from a lower-body ailment, he revealed to The Athletic.
Rielly said he underwent examinations, including MRIs, which showed nothing major.
“It was a pretty significant amount of pain… but I did my MRIs and everything like that and there was no damage to the real important things. So it was just a matter of pain management.“We took some action over the Christmas holidays and I’m feeling much better after some minor stuff that we did and I think it’s just having confidence — and the pain is way lower than it was, and I’m able to just go out and play more.”
The injury built up over time, Rielly said, and was due to “normal wear and tear stuff.”
Despite playing banged up, Rielly is still on pace for a respectable 47 point season, but it’s a significant drop from the 72 he put up last season in what was his best NHL season. He’s played in every game, too, all the while playing a career-high 24:19.
He’s continued to drive play for the Maple Leafs and is a near wash on his goal rates.
There’s no denying that Rielly is a key cog in the machine that churns the Leafs night in and night out. A 100% Rielly is ever more important as the organization continues to vie for playoff contention in the Atlantic Division.
On Twitter: @zjlaing
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