Cross-check just a distraction
Toronto Star|February 12, 2024
Speculation about Rielly suspension takes attention away from team's real problems
DAMIEN COX
Cross-check just a distraction

Ottawa's Shane Pinto gets into a scrum with Morgan Rielly after the Toronto blueliner cross-checked Ridly Greig in the head on Saturday.

The Maple Leafs should probably be happy that Morgan Rielly got himself in some hot water on Saturday night.

It was, after all, a timely distraction from yet another flaccid effort by coach Sheldon Keefe’s team, another setback against a bottom feeder. Rielly’s unnecessary crosscheck to the head of Senators smart-ass Ridly Greig meant that, for 24 hours at least, people weren’t talking about the weakness of Toronto’s bottom six and blueline, or the dreadful season of $5.5-million (U.S.) winger Tyler Bertuzzi.

Rielly’s decision to try and decapitate Greig — for rubbing it in with a slapshot into an empty net in Ottawa’s 5-3 triumph — also meant observers had something to talk about other than why Keefe is still the coach, or why general manager Brad Treliving, after a series of poor personnel choices last summer, hasn’t lifted a finger since gifting Sam Lafferty to the Vancouver Canucks in the fall.

No trades. No waiver pickups. A million Pontus Holmberg recalls and demotions. But otherwise nothing. It’s like Treliving has been on hiatus since October.

Happily, by clobbering Greig with just seconds left on Saturday night, Rielly gave Treliving a night away from the spotlight, and gave his teammates a temporary reprieve from being slagged for playing .500 hockey since Christmas. There is a growing danger that this team may completely waste of one of the great individual seasons by a Leaf, from the brilliant Auston Matthews, and miss the playoffs entirely.

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