'I Expect Myself To Handle Any Situation': Can Morgan Rielly's Struggling Offensive Numbers Be Attributed To Maple Leafs' Constant Defensive Partner Shuffle?

DETROIT — The expectation was that the Toronto Maple Leafs had found the defensive partner they were looking for to play alongside Morgan Rielly in veteran right-handed shot Chris Tanev. Although they started the season together, the pairing was quickly abandoned as new Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube saw a better fit for Tanev alongside Jake McCabe. After a long stretch alongside Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Rielly has been mixed around with three other partners since then, including Jani Hakanpaa (remember him?) and his only two games with Toronto.

In all likelihood, Rielly will skate with either Philippe Myers or Conor Timmins when the club visits the Detroit Red Wings on Friday. The latter is only applicable if Chris Tanev is unable to return from a lower-body injury.

New coach, same issue for the Leafs' most tenured player who can't seem to find consistency with a regular partner on the back end. Is it a problem?

"I think my main focus is always on myself. And I always am going to strive to be better. And I like to think that I can take on really as much responsibility as I'm given," Rielly said when asked if having a consistent defensive partner matters. "I expect myself to be able to handle any situation. So that's kind of the way that I think."

Rielly, who is Toronto's most offensive defenseman, has seen his production slip. Although some of that can be attributed to Toronto's offense being down as a whole, his .514 points-per-game rate is his lowest since the 2016-17 season when he had 28 points in 76 games.

And it's not just showing up in his point totals. Rielly's 5-on-5 shot attempts share is below 50 percent at even strength this season. If it continues, it will be his worst since 2015-16.

Rielly's issue could be a symptom of a bigger problem. Among defensive pairs that have played at least 30 minutes together, not a single Toronto duo has a shot attempts share above 50 percent. The highest is Rielly-Myers at 48 percent, per NaturalStatTrick.com.

There could be bigger problems ahead for Toronto's defense. But if Rielly did contribute a bit more offensively, the issue of who he played with wouldn't be as much of a talking point.

"I want to be able to contribute offensively for sure," Rielly said. "As a group, our main priority is team defense and gap control and playing a rush and breaking the puck out and all those defensive things. And then there's elements to our game where we have to be able to contribute. We have to be able to make plays, give our forwards opportunities to get time and space. Help those guys out as much as we can."

And the reality is they haven't. Toronto ranks at the bottom of the NHL in goals scored by defensemen with seven this season. Rielly's lack of a consistent defensive partner probably isn't helping things. But there isn't evidence to suggest it's hurting, either.

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