Leafs’ Morgan Rielly exits game with upper-body injury

A tough and premature end for one of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ core players.

As the third period began between the Leafs and the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night, Toronto announced that defenseman Morgan Rielly wouldn’t return to the game due to an upper-body injury.

It hasn’t been reported what exactly is ailing Rielly, or when he was hurt. The 31-year-old had played 12:34 of ice time across 19 shifts and was credited with a blocked shot. He was on the ice for both of the Canucks goals earlier in the game.

The first 40 minutes of the game for Rielly resemble what has been a tough season for the veteran blueliner and his team. While Rielly’s offensive production has arguably been better than what it was last season, as he has potted seven goals and 24 assists for 31 points in 54 games, his play in his own zone has struggled. He has a plus/minus of -17 so far this season while averaging well over 21 minutes of ice time per game. While Rielly has been criticized for his defensive efforts in previous years, it seems that fans are even more frustrated with the longtime Leaf as the team as a whole has struggled.

Heading into Saturday night, Toronto had lost six games in a row, including dropping all five during a homestretch at Scotiabank Arena. The consecutive defeats have further pushed the Leafs out of a playoff spot, leading many to wonder if the team would start selling off assets prior to the Olympic break and trade deadline.

Rielly has played all 13 of his seasons with the Original Six team. In 927 regular-season games, he has scored 94 goals and 450 assists for 544 points. The Vancouver native has 47 points in 70 postseason contests.