The Toronto Maple Leafs drafted Morgan Rielly fifth overall back in 2012, and when Brian Burke said that he would have chosen him with the first pick, had he had it, we all scoffed, chalking it up to the typical Burke bluster and hyperbole.
Well Brian Burke has his faults (and he’s a terrible analyst for today’s game on TV) he doesn’t get nearly enough credit for making the Leafs what they are today.
Morgan Rielly, Jake Gardiner, JVR, Bozak, Komarov and Nazem Kadri formed a solid group of veterans for the Leafs new management to graft their core onto, and it not only helped the Leafs rebuild much faster than should have been possible, but three of those players continue to be among the best players on the Leafs today (and in Leafs history).