Is Morgan Rielly playing tonight against the Florida Panthers? May 12, 2023 NHL Playoffs

Morgan Rielly, despite the heated exchange in the last game, is expected to be ready to hit the ice once again for Game 5 of the second-round series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers, which will take place tonight at 7 p.m. ET.

In a crucial Game 4, tensions reached a boiling point as the final siren approached. The Panthers had a flurry of opportunities to tie the game, but their efforts fell short. As the clock wound down, the intensity escalated, leading to a heated altercation triggered by a thunderous hit from Brandon Montour on Morgan Rielly.

Rielly has been an integral part of the Maple Leafs' success, and his presence on the ice has been invaluable throughout the postseason. Before Game 4, Rielly was riding a scoring streak of seven games, with a total of three goals and seven assists.

Moreover, he has showcased his defensive capabilities by leading the team in ice time during Game 4, logging an impressive 20 minutes and 14 seconds. In addition to his contributions on both ends, Rielly displayed his physicality by handling the incident properly.

The Maple Leafs will rely on Rielly's leadership, offensive production and defensive reliability as they look to overcome a 3-1 deficit and fight their way back into the series against a strong Panthers team.

Rielly's presence in the lineup will be significant for the Maple Leafs, who will undoubtedly rely on his steady presence on the blue line and his ability to contribute offensively.

A look at Morgan Rielly's NHL career

Morgan Rielly has been a key player for the Toronto Maple Leafs since his entry into the NHL in 2013. The Vancouver native was selected by the Maple Leafs with the No. 5 pick in the 2012 NHL Draft. However, his draft year was cut short due to a knee injury that limited him to just 18 regular-season games with Moose Jaw of the Western Hockey League. Despite the injury, Rielly's play was impressive enough for the Maple Leafs to select him.

Morgan Rielly had a strong rookie season in the NHL, playing 73 games and ranking second in assists among rookie defensemen. He continued to develop his skills and became a leader on the Maple Leafs' blue line. In the 2017-18 season, he nearly doubled his point total from the previous season, finishing with 52 points, including 46 assists.

The following season, Morgan Rielly had a career-best 20 goals and finished with 72 points, earning him fifth place in the Norris Trophy voting for the best defenseman. He continued to play at a high level in the 2019-20 season, finishing with six assists in the playoffs and becoming the first Maple Leafs defenseman with at least six assists in a playoff year since Brian Leetch in 2004.

Morgan Rielly signed an eight-year, $60 million contract with the Maple Leafs in 2021, cementing his future with the team.

In the first round of the 2023 playoffs, Rielly's overtime goal in Game 3 against the Tampa Bay Lightning gave the Maple Leafs a 4-3 win, and his game-tying goal in Game 4 led to a 5-4 overtime victory. The Maple Leafs went on to win the best-of-seven series in six games, marking their first postseason series win since 2004.