TORONTO — Morgan Rielly took a long look in the mirror over the summer.

The Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman entered last season's training camp feeling good. Things then started well when the puck dropped. The numbers were there. Rielly thought he was in a good spot.

Something happened. He isn't sure what exactly.

The club's No. 1 defenceman — and his US$7.5-million salary cap hit through 2029-30 — scored just once in 40 games between Nov. 8 and Feb. 6 before going the final 24 contests of the regular-season schedule without finding the back of the net.

"My game dropped," Rielly said in the sunshine Thursday outside Toronto's practice facility. "I take a lot of pride in my career, and I was really disappointed in myself. That's a hard thing to admit and hard thing to come to."

The 31-y

See Full Page