Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Morgan Rielly has been ruled out for the Toronto Maple Leafs game Saturday against the Ottawa Senators.
The Leafs will be without defenseman Morgan Rielly against the rival Ottawa Senators due to a lower-body injury, the team has announced.
It is not clear how Rielly, who is day-to-day, was injured, but is out against Ottawa, unclear how long the Leafs defenseman may be out for.
Leafs head coach Craig Berube told reporters prior to tonight’s game that Rielly tweaked something in Toronto’s game yesterday against Carolina.
Phillipe Myers will jump into the Leafs lineup with Rielly out, Craig Berube announced.
Morgan Rielly to miss unknown amount of time for Leafs
Rielly, 32, missed two games earlier this season with an upper-body injury. Rielly has nine goals 24 assists, & 33 points in 67 games this season for Toronto.
The Leafs, who sit last in the Atlantic Division, have a 29-28-13 record and 71 points, playing a rival Senators team sixth in the Atlantic with 79 points and a 35-24-9 record.
Rielly was absent for the Leafs Fan Day festivities on Thursday, although it does not appear the two absences are related, unconfirmed if so.
Already without Auston Matthews for the rest of the season, the Toronto Maple Leafs now navigate the loss of their #1 defenseman along with their leading center and captain.
Leafs blueline takes a hit with Rielly out
The Toronto Maple Leafs lose their leading defenseman and power play quarterback in Morgan Rielly against Ottawa.
Rielly has dealt with struggles over his consistency this season, but has still been Toronto’s top puck-moving defenseman, and a key point producer.
With Matthews also out, Toronto has two holes in terms of finding scoring chances, two of the team’s key contributors, Rielly for creation and Matthews as a finisher.
Ottawa, who is 7-2-1 in their last 10 games played, has outscored opponents in that span 37-25. Toronto is 2-4-4 in their last 10, outscored 26-34.
Senators forward Drake Batherson will be key for the Leafs defense to stop. The 27-year-old has eight goals and 11 points in his last 10.
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Morgan Rielly out tonight as Maple Leafs reshuffle blue line against the Senators
Will Morgan Rielly miss the rest of the season?