Rookie defenceman Morgan Rielly oozes talent and the former WHL star has inserted himself into the Calder Trophy conversation.
Few 19-year-old blueliners have the skating ability that Rielly has. He's an effortless skater who can join the rush, yet get back to defend if necessary. It's an obvious strength in today's NHL.
He's at his best when he's making things happen in the offensive zone for his Leafs teammates.
But Rielly is not alone in having a positive impact on his team as a rookie this season. He's one of several very good rookie rearguards and there have also been a number of important rookie forwards.
Sean Monahan, Nathan MacKinnon, Tyler Johnson, Chris Kreider, Mark Scheifele, Tomas Hertl, Valeri Nichushkin and Aleksander Barkov are some of the top skaters who have had strong campaigns.
Among forwards, MacKinnon, Johnson and Nichushkin are likely frontrunners based on their numbers and the important impact they have had on their respective teams.
So where does Rielly fit in? It's easier to compare him directly to other top rookie defencemen as the comparison to fo ...
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Article written by James Onusko
Breaking Down Morgan Rielly’s 2013-14 Calder Trophy Chances
January 28th, 2014 by James Onusko Leave a reply »
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