Over the last three games, Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube has tried to change things up by placing reliable defender Jake McCabe on the right side of Rielly in an effort to help ignite Rielly's offensive game. Has it worked?

Jared Spurgeon and Marat Khusnutdinov scored in the first period, Filip Gustavsson stopped 31 shots, and the Minnesota Wild beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1.

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe's stat line from Thursday's win over the New Jersey Devils shows just how much the team missed him while he was out.

Rielly has two points in his last 11 games with Toronto and admitted after Wednesday's 3-1 loss to Minnesota that he needs to be better.

Shane Pinto scored the tiebreaking goal midway through the third period and the Ottawa Senators beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1.

Where would the Toronto Maple Leafs be without Jake McCabe? Two seasons ago, the Maple Leafs acquired McCabe in a multi-player deal with the Chicago Blackhawks in an attempt to bolster their blueline.

“It can be the most random time in the summer and no matter what, you’ll see 'RR' pop up on your phone,” Nick Robertson said. Every group chat needs an instigator; someone to keep the dialogue alive during low points. On and off the ice, Reaves fills that role.

Fraser Minten will play for the Leafs for the first time since Dec. 14 and will centre a line with Max Domi and Nick Robertson on the wings. “I like the player,” Berube said in reference to Minten. “Patches went out, he’s a guy who has played up here and he’s a smart player, we put him in the middle of the ice. I have trust in him.”

Leafs answered our poll. In part 1, we reveal the teammates most Leafs would like to be stuck with in an elevator, and more.

Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly has given his take on how the season has played out so far, and even among the negatives he's taking things in stride.

THROUGH GAMES OF THURSDAY, JAN. 30, 2025

Morgan Rielly is used to contributing with the puck on his stick. The Maple Leafs defenceman had a career-high 68 points a couple of years back and chipped in another 58 last season as part of a well-oiled attack.