Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly has been assessed a five-game suspension as a result of his actions at the end of Saturday’s loss to the Senators, ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reports Tuesday night. Rielly had an in-person hearing today with the NHL Department of Player Safety for cross-checking Senators forward Ridly Greig after he scored an empty-net goal with seconds remaining in the game.
In their video statement addressing the incident, DoPS ruled that Rielly “used his stick as a weapon to exact retribution on an opponent.” Rielly, who checked Greig after he scored his empty-net goal via a slapshot, has not been suspended in his 11-year career.
Rielly’s hearing Tuesday was virtual due to inclement weather at league offices in New York but was treated as an in-person hearing regardless. Notably, DoPS did not take advantage of their ability to suspend Rielly for more than five games by offering him an in-person hearing.
By issuing a five-game suspension, DoPS also made their decision ineligible for an appeal process to reach an independent arbitrator. Rielly may still appeal the suspension to league commissioner Gary Bettman, but his decision will be final. Bettman has upheld all three suspensions that have been sent to him for appeal this season – both four-game bans for Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson (link) and the Bruins’ Charlie McAvoy (link), plus a six-game suspension for Red Wings forward David Perron (link).
Rielly’s absence already puts them in a tough spot over the next week and a half without much depth behind him on defense. An illness bug exacerbates things in the short term, too, as both Mitch Marner and John Tavares are listed as out for tonight’s game against the Blues with an illness. Toronto has shuffled their roster in response, returning defenseman Maxime Lajoie to AHL Toronto from his emergency loan while recalling forward Alex Steeves, who will make his season debut, under emergency conditions.
23-year-old Timothy Liljegren slides up to Toronto’s top pairing in Rielly’s absence, while the left-shot Jake McCabe will take his spot on their top power-play unit. Rielly, 29, leads Toronto defenders in goals (7), assists (36), points (43), and average time on ice (24:21) this season.
I bet you his uncle is spinning in his grave.
That kind of play has absolutely no place in hockey!
Which one?
The one where Reilly cross checked the Senator in the head.
Between the predictable 5 games and the disarray in net, The next week and a half should be fun in Toronto.
Five games is worth it for defending your empty nets honour! I’m going to assume Rielly isn’t the sharpest tool in the Leafs dressing room.
Don Cherry disagrees with you.
@ theboatmen: you say that like it’s a negative. Cherry crossed the line into buffoonery decades ago.
Only because he got political, he should have stuck with hockey ONLY.
The NHL is so lost when it comes to discipline.
The days of leaving the net empty is over, as the NHL has declared open season on empty nets.
I think 3 is more appropriate but it’s the leafs
He cross checked a dude in face with momentum heading into it. 5 is more than fair.
If it wasn’t the leafs it would probably be 10
The TSN panel tonight thought 2-3 games was what it should have been but Toronto sports network
He deflected it into his face…
As a Canadian who is a non French hand fan, both teams own reporters are ridiculous. Also the habs “having” to have a French man in charge is ridiculous aswell. It should always be the best man for the job and right now is the only time I know we’re the number 1 job wasn’t handed to a Québecer, be it president of ops or GM depending on how long ago we’re talking, but the number 2 is French. All that being said Hughes has been great aswell as Gorton
Since George Parros has been in charge of this stuff the Leafs have had more in-person meetings and suspensions than any other team. You don’t know this or you would not have made your uninformed post. Scratch that, you would have made it anyway. You goofs are fun that way.
Lol.
Ridiculous suspension. Should have been 2 games. Leafs always get burned by league office.
Oh dear lord, if this play had of been reversed you would have been screaming for Grieg to get 10 games ! 5 is fair.
If this play had been reversed Grieg would have gotten a two minute penalty and no one would be talking about it at all. It’s hockey. Go watch some of the old film of the habs/nordiques playoff games.
Heard Reaves saying the hockey world needs to get tougher. Soft players. Need people to step up and fight. Bring in the “Goons”.
Coming from a true goon. His kind of archaic job in the NHL is dead and he knows it. No more wasting valuable hockey these days with someone sitting on the bench for 55 minutes a game. Players are all expected to know how to actually play these days. How is that bad?
League goes light on Leaf and rag players. 8-10 anywhere else.
Nothing but a troll cause anyone who actually watches the game knows it’s the reverse of that.
You’re just a Homer. They were pressured to give less, because it was Toronto.
All I want is consistency. How does David Peron get 6 games ( with a lost appeal, while Rielly gets 5. Both players had no prior suspensions, similar offences ( although one could argue Person’s was reactionary and Rielly’s was retaliatory. The league needs to set a standard and not show any favoritism. There is no place for headshots in the game and the league needs to send a message.
Reilly got 1 game less because he plays in Toronto!
I wrote the other day that “The history of fines, PIMs, misconduct, suspensions, treatment of officials, community work, and general likability are all taken into account.” Perron took his frustration out on a player that had nothing to do with his injured teammate. Comparing them is near impossible as the heat of the moment was comparably different.
While I don’t condone cross checks to the face, Ridly Greig is a clown.
This does show how bettman is owners man. He gave Hunter 21 now just 5 for reilly. Owners/fans /management my team does something light suspension. If it is done to my team banned for life. We know bettmen going come down hard on guys world juniors. Yet he gives team in his league Chicago slap and wrist.
Because the league office has gone soft. No place for this stuff in the game. Should be double digits and guys should get banned from the league for doing this stuff multiple times.
Hunter was a blind hit. Completely different. I watched both games LIVE. Morgan deserved 3 games but the league wants to set a precede to the rest of the league. Proving a lack of favouritism also helps ;)