Morgan Rielly could have in-person hearing, insider reports 

By Ankit Kumar

Modified Feb 11, 2024 19:07 GMT

Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly is under scrutiny for his actions against the Ottawa Senators, with reports suggesting he may face a substantial suspension. The incident occurred Saturday evening as the Ottawa Senators emerged victorious against the Toronto Maple Leafs with a 5-3 win.

NHL insider John Shannon shed light on the situation, indicating that there's a debate within the league office regarding Rielly's hearing format.

Shannon tweeted:

"As I understand it, the debate in the NHL office is whether Morgan Rielly will have an in-person hearing or a phone hearing. Obviously, an in-person hearing indicates he might get more than a 5 game suspension."

The incident occurred in the last moments of Saturday's game between the Maple Leafs and the Senators.

Following Senators forward Ridly Greig's slap shot into the empty net, securing a 5-3 victory against the Maple Leafs, Morgan Rielly expressed dissatisfaction with the move by targeting Greig and delivering a cross-check to his head.

This incident occurred with only 5.1 seconds left in the game. Subsequently, a confrontation between the two teams ensued, prompting referees to review the incident and conclude that Rielly would not be continuing the game.

Rielly's response to Greig's goal sparked controversy and heated reactions from both teams.

Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe defended Morgan Rielly's actions by calling his actions appropriate. Keefe added:

"Their player has the right to do what he wants in that moment and our players have the right to react, you know, it's the emotions of the game,"

Ottawa head coach Jacques Martin said:

"It’s not a hockey play. It’s frustration or something, but it’s not part of the game. (Greig) put the puck in the net. Whether he pushes it, or shoots it, it shouldn’t matter.”

Toronto captain John Tavares said:

“We obviously didn’t like the result on the empty-netter. So, we’re going to stick together and stand our ground when necessary.”

Apart from Morgan Rielly's reaction, both coaches reacted to the game

While tensions flared, coaches offered reactions to the game. Ottawa's Jacques Martin praised his team's effort after a 10-day break:

“I thought it was a really good effort. I thought we were slow off the mark, but I think that’s kind of expected after being off for 10 days and not having played.”

Meanwhile, Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe lamented missed opportunities and the loss:

“We missed a ton of chances. We probably could’ve scored more than we did tonight. And we didn’t. So, we lose the game.”

Looking ahead, the Maple Leafs will prepare to host the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday.