For the second edition of TLN Top Ten Plays, I have the pleasure of covering Morgan Rielly. Shouts to Mr. Maxwell who is a trooper for finding ten semi-decent plays by Matt Hunwick!

As was the case with the Hunwick piece, all videos are courtesy of Goal Leafs Goal.

10. Goal that got called off which I’m still mad about vs. the Sharks

This was such a beautiful goal and it was taken away due to some weird vendetta the officials seemed to have against Nazem Kadri this season. Connor Brown makes a great play entering the zone and stopping up to create time and space, surveying his options and then hitting Rielly coming into the zone. Rielly makes a perfect shot off the bar, but Kadri apparently breathed on Martin Jones.

9. Primary assist on Matthews’ goal in game six vs. the Capitals

He banked it off the stanchion on purpose don’t @ me.

8. Primary assist on a Marincin goal vs. the Flyers

Rielly makes a beautiful behind the back backhand pass which Martin “basically Brent Burns” Marincin steps right into and hammers into the back of the net.

7. Primary assist on a Kadri goal vs. the Flyers

Rielly hits Kadri on the tape just as he begins to cut across the offensive blueline, allowing him to walk around Michael Del Zotto and score on a beautiful breakaway move.

6. Goal vs. the Lightning

Can’t decide what’s worse here, the defensive zone coverage by the Lightning or those horrific “Bolts” jerseys.

5. Powerplay goal vs. the Flyers

Yes, the three of the last four plays all occurred in the same game. He had a good night, okay?

4. Goal vs. the Blues

I love this play because Rielly starts and finishes it. He takes the puck off of a defensive zone draw and skates it out into the neutral zone where he feeds Kadri along the boards entering the offensive zone. Kadri makes a great move to get a shot off and Rielly, who has followed the play right into the slot, hammers the puck into the wide open cage.

3. Goal vs. the Bruins

There is a lot going on here and I think Rielly makes the fourth best play in the sequence? JvR starts it off by making a slick toe drag on the Zdeno Chara on the rush, then proceeds to make a no look pass behind him from behind the net to Marner. Marner then makes a crazy spin move/shot which is stopped. Rielly is stopped on the rebound, but Marner picks it back up and seems to have eyes on the back of his head as he sees Rielly pinching in behind the defenders. Marner hits him with the backhand pass and Rielly finishes it off.

2. First career playoff goal comes vs. the Capitals

Rielly shows off some nice footwork in order to evade Leaf legend Daniel Winnik while walking the blueline and then fires a seeing eye wrister through traffic and top corner on Braden Holtby.

1. OT winner vs. the Hurricanes

Stops and starts, kids! Rielly shows off his skating ability here, twice changing direction on a dime to evade Victor Rask. Cam Ward should probably save that, but that’s nothing new.

Next up on TLN’s Top Ten Plays will be Zach Hyman so be prepared for some #grit.