Years of draft-pick hoarding and smart selections have produced a bright future for the Toronto Maple Leafs. One of the centerpieces of that future is the No. 5 overall selection from the 2012 draft, Morgan Rielly.
A defenseman given the freedom to roam the ice, Rielly is the rare player who makes plays for his team over every square inch of the ice surface.
That freedom given to him within the Leafs' system led to a goal during a short-handed situation in Wednesday night's home finale against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
With the Leafs down a man early in the second period, Martin Marincin wins a puck battle in the corner of his own zone and chips the puck up the wall to teammate Brooks Laich. At that point, the Blue Jackets have two players below the end line, and another even with Rielly.
Rielly elects to join the breakout, and eventually gains a step on his pursuer.
Just as the Leafs are about to enter the Blue Jackets' zone, Rielly makes a wide right turn to put himself in perfect position for Frederik Gauthier's drop pass, and create further separation from the Columbus player responsible for defending him.
Upon beating his man to the spot, Rielly (44) is left with an uncontested wrister from the top of the right circle. Aided by the traffic in front of the net created by Laich, Rielly's shot finds its way over Sergei Bobrovsky's right shoulder and into the back of the cage for the game's opening tally.
For Rielly, the goal was his ninth of the season, establishing a new career high for the third-year pro.
(Images courtesy: NHL)
