"He plays the game with his head and his legs and his hands," Carlyle said of Rielly ahead of the Saturday tilt, his Leafs sitting a perfect 2-0-0 to start the season. "He's got all three assets that separate him from other people in his age-group.

"He's a strong puck-mover, he can get the puck through from the point on the power-play, he's got great wheels to get up and down the ice, he's smart in his reads so I don't know what more I can say that doesn't put an exclamation point on the type of player he is and what he can be."

As to the expectations of his debut?

"Just go out and play," Gardiner advised, "do your thing."


Jobban várom ezt a meccset, mint a szezonnyitót. Remélem ügyes lesz a kölyök. Valószínűleg Ranger-el fogják alkotni a 3. párt, PP-ben meg remélem Gardiner-el lesznek. Pre-season alatt brutál volt a két srác PP-ben.