Breaking: Maple Leafs Talented Defenceman Have Made An Honest Admission After a Lengthen Discussion With His Coach, Craig Berube
Morgan Rielly has always believed that confidence needed to be earned. As a child, he was hesitant about attending camp and meeting new peers, often feeling uncertain both on and off the ice.
However, he found his confidence in hockey, within the camaraderie of his teammates and coaches, and in a setting where he could thrive. Now, twelve years into his career, he exhibits a level of self-assurance that makes it hard to believe he ever struggled with it. This year, though, has been different.
With the arrival of coach Craig Berube, the Maple Leafs were instructed to minimize risk in their play, which Rielly found challenging. He shifted from an aggressive style to a more passive approach, opting to pass rather than carry the puck. Even when he made the right plays, it often felt like the puck ended up in his own net. While his on-ice stats show he’s been involved in more goals for than against—63 to 60, with limited time on the power play—his plus-minus stands out as a concerning minus-16. As a result, his confidence—the essential element for any player—began to dwindle.
The day before last Saturday’s game in Edmonton, Rielly met with his coach. He reviewed his own gameplay and recognized that he had been too passive and stationary. He realized he needed to be more aggressive. During their discussion, Berube surprised him. “He said something I didn’t see coming,” Rielly shared after a practice in his hometown of Vancouver at UBC on Friday.
“He told me he just wanted me to express myself to him, and I was… I was caught off guard by that. In a positive way.”
The pressure had been building throughout the season. Rielly has served as a crucial component of this team, particularly for a group that has faced playoff challenges that partly define its identity. He’s been one of the most reliable performers in the postseason. However, this season with the Leafs, it felt as if he was stuck in a limbo—struggling to determine when to press forward and when to hold back.
“Finding that balance is part of the game,” Rielly explains. “It’s not always about going full throttle, and I’m not just a defensive player.” He insists he never truly felt lost, continually reassuring himself that he was close to getting back on track. As an athlete, maintaining belief is essential. Rielly made a conscious effort to hide his struggles from his teammates, which was challenging but necessary. In an alternate reality, he would be the team captain. “You have to remain consistent,” Rielly said. “
You need to come in as your true self, engage in conversation, joke around, and laugh. I aspire to be a leader and someone others can turn to; I want to be lively and part of the discussions. So when things aren’t going well, it can be tough to uphold that, but it’s crucial for me to do so. “I could sense the lack of confidence. As hard as it was, one of the beautiful aspects of sports is embracing the struggle, fighting through it, and striving to overcome it. I don’t think overwhelming confidence comes naturally to me; it’s something I consciously work on.”So, he put in the effort.
Last Friday in Edmonton, Rielly expressed everything he had been holding back. Berube listened and encouraged him to be more aggressive and shoot the puck more often. He reassured Rielly by saying, “I believe in you.” Berube also echoed this sentiment publicly when asked about Rielly’s best potential as a player. “He’s definitely a good puck mover,” Berube stated. “He just needs to be more aggressive, especially offensively. “I know he’s been struggling defensively, and while his plus-minus doesn’t reflect it, many of those goals were with the goalie pulled. I’ve seen him working harder in his own zone and playing well defensively.
However, he hasn’t been putting up points like he has in the past, and we’ll need that from him moving forward.” In Edmonton, Rielly played with confidence, skating aggressively and appearing liberated. He displayed the same energy in Calgary and Seattle, pushing for puck possession and creating chances, earning an assist in each of those games. Rielly acknowledges that it’s still a work in progress, but that conversation clearly had a significant impact on him.
“I’m not sure if that was exactly what I needed to hear, but it really boosted my spirits to know I had his support,” Rielly reflects. “In the weeks leading up to this, he had mentioned a few times that I was playing well and not to get down about my plus-minus or points. That was encouraging too. Ultimately, it came down to being more aggressive and just being myself. “When I’m in the right mindset—feeling confident, comfortable, and aggressive—I have complete faith in myself.
That’s the version of himself he needs to be.
This year is also significant for Rielly as he becomes a father for the first time; his wife, Tessa Virtue, welcomed their son, McCormick, in July. It has transformed his life. With a smile, he admits, “There’s no denying it brings its own challenges, but it’s absolutely amazing.” It may have taken some time, but now it truly looks like Morgan Rielly on the ice. He’s a changed man, and yet perhaps he hasn’t changed much at all.
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