"Stanley Cup or bust" - Morgan Rielly reveals do-or-die mentality for Maple Leafs ahead of NHL season

By Ankit Kumar

Modified Sep 18, 2024 17:08 GMT

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly is entering the 2024-25 season with a clear mindset that it's "Stanley Cup or bust" for the team. Rielly said in a tweet shared by NHL insider Joshua Kloke on Wednesday:

“To a degree, it’s Stanley Cup or bust. I think that’s how our group feels. Anything short of that will be a failure.”

Rielly is coming off a strong season, scoring 58 points in 72 games. He’s now in the fifth year of his eight-year contract extension.

Rielly is entering his 11th season with the Leafs and his eighth as an alternate captain. He expressed excitement about the new season and the addition of defenseman Chris Tanev. Rielly played with Tanev before during the 2016 World Hockey Championships for Team Canada. He believes Tanev will strengthen the Leafs' defense.

"I was talking to him because I don’t exactly remember how it went down. After we traded for him, I talked to him." Rielly said, per theleafsnation.com.

"I think he’s just a great piece, any team in the league that adds Chris Tanev to your d-core immediately becomes much stronger. I had a chance to play with him during the men’s world championships, great guy, great teammate.”

Tanev will be one of the best defense partners for Rielly in Toronto. Rielly often played with bottom-pairing players in the past. Now, with Tanev, he looks forward to playing his game more freely.

Like the rest of the Leafs, he knows anything short of a Stanley Cup will feel like a failure.

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Morgan Rielly is part of the Leafs' training camp roster

Morgan Rielly is part of the Toronto Maple Leafs training camp roster this year. The team announced the roster on Wednesday, which includes 42 forwards, 26 defensemen, and seven goaltenders.

Training camp started Wednesday at the Ford Performance Centre, with practices set to begin Thursday. And Rielly's presence will be that of a Maple Leafs' key defenseman and leader.

Forwards (42)

Alexander Nylander, Auston Matthews, Bobby McMann, Brandon Lisowsky, Braeden Kressler, Cédric Paré, Calle Järnkrok, Connor Dewar, David Kämpf, Easton Cowan, Max Domi, Fraser Minten, Jacob Frasca, Jacob Quillan, John Tavares, Kyle Clifford, Logan Shaw, Maxim Muranov, Matthew Barbolini, Matthew Knies, Mitch Marner, Nikita Grebenkin, Nicholas Robertson, Ryan Reaves, Ryan Tverberg, Robert Mastrosimone, Roni Hirvonen, Sam McCue, Sam Stevens, Steven Lorentz, Ty Voit, Zach Solow, Alex Steeves, Miroslav Holinka, Pontus Holmberg, and Nick Abruzzese.

Defencemen (26)

Ben Danford, Chas Sharpe, Cade Webber, Dakota Mermis, Jacob Bengtsson, Jani Hakanpää, Matt Anderson, Matteo Pietroniro, Mikko Kokkonen, Nathan Mayes, Nicolas Mattinen, Philippe Myers, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Ryan McCleary, Simon Benoit, Topi Niemelä, William Villeneuve, Conor Timmins, Marshall Rifai, Chris Tanev, Morgan Rielly, Timothy Liljegren, Tommy Miller, Rhett Parsons, Jake McCabe, and Noah Chadwick.

Goaltenders (7)

Artur Akhtyamov, Anthony Stolarz, Dennis Hildeby, Jon Gillies, Matt Murray, Vyacheslav Peksa, and Joseph Woll.

This camp is also the first under new coach Craig Berube. The Maple Leafs will play their first exhibition game on Sunday against the Ottawa Senators. Rielly's experience will be important as the team prepares for the new season.