Hockey is back, and the Toronto Maple Leafs are off to a flying start.
There’s one player in particular for whom that shouldn’t be a surprise at all.
Defenseman Morgan Rielly loves opening night, and that was true again Wednesday in Toronto’s 5-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens.
Rielly got in on the scoring with a goal.
It’s the third different time he has scored a goal in the Maple Leafs’ first game of the season.
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According to Sportsnet, that makes him one of four D-men in Maple Leafs history to score on three different opening nights, joining Harry Cameron, Jim McKenny and Todd Gill.
That’s certainly a fun, exclusive list.
Rielly put himself in the perfect spot to get a goal.
As the puck was cycled around to the left of the goal, the lefty shooting Rielly slid down from the blue line toward the goal, and a pass found him cutting right in for an easy shot up and past the goalie.
Defencemen to score in 3 season openers, Maple Leafs history
Harry Cameron
Jim McKenny
Todd Gill
Morgan Rielly pic.twitter.com/rmVzLZJeiV— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) October 9, 2025
It’s an especially good vibe setter for the Maple Leafs because they rest both Thursday and Friday before playing their second game of the season this Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings.
If Rielly has his energy right, maybe he should just imagine it’s the first game all over again. He definitely likes scoring on the opening night stage.
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