Morgan Rielly Now Second in Maple Leafs Assists for Defensemen

Professors’ Pressbox would like to take this time to congratulate Morgan Rielly for his steady play and well-earned milestone. On a tough night in Boston, Rielly quietly moved past Tomas Kaberle into second place all-time among Maple Leafs defensemen with 438 assists — a mark that speaks to both longevity and loyalty. Only Borje Salming, the benchmark for Maple Leafs blue-liners, now stands ahead of him.

Sadly for Rielly, the Maple Leafs Context Could Have Been Better

Sadly, like John Tavares’s 500th goal earlier this year, Rielly’s achievement came in another loss — the team’s third straight. The Maple Leafs fell 5–3 to the Bruins, a result that did little to reflect Rielly’s consistent work. It’s become a familiar pattern in Toronto: the moments worth celebrating often arrive wrapped in frustration. But if you look closely, Rielly’s play remains one of the few constants this team can rely on when things go sideways.

Rielly’s quietly riding a six-game, eight-assist streak, producing offense even as the power play sputters and the defense scrambles for structure. He doesn’t get the flash or the headlines — that’s never been his way — but night after night, he logs heavy minutes, drives transition, and keeps the group afloat when the temperature rises. In a lineup that still feels like it’s trying to rediscover its identity, Rielly’s poise remains a model of what leadership looks like when it isn’t loud.

Rielly Wants to Be in Toronto, Noise and All

What stands out most is the way he plays through the noise — both literal and figurative. The Boston crowd was roaring, the Maple Leafs’ injury list was growing, and yet Rielly stayed composed, doing what he’s always done: move the puck, support his teammates, and set the tone.

If this team ever steadies itself and starts to climb again, Rielly will have been part of the backbone that made it possible. Milestones like this deserve more attention than they get — even if, for now, they shine through a bit of gloom. Congratulations, Morgan Rielly — steady as ever, and still quietly making Maple Leafs history.