Maple Leafs' Rielly expected to return vs. Coyotes

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe announced Wednesday that defenseman Morgan Rielly is expected to return when his side takes on the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday, according to Sportsnet's Luke Fox.

Rielly last played on Nov. 21 against the New York Islanders. He sustained a knee injury following an awkward collision with Islanders forward Kyle Palmieri in the third period that ultimately forced him to leave the game.

Despite his absence, Rielly still paces Toronto's blue line with 16 points in 20 contests this season. The 28-year-old is playing out the first campaign of an eight-year, $60-million extension signed in October 2021.

Rielly skated on a pair with Timothy Liljegren during Wednesday's practice. The long-time Leaf leads the team with 23 minutes of average ice time in 2022-23.

The Maple Leafs went 12-2-1 without Rielly in the lineup.

Toronto has dealt with a litany of blows to its defense corps this season, with the likes of Jake Muzzin, T.J. Brodie, Jordie Benn, Liljegren, Rasmus Sandin, and Victor Mete all spending some time on the shelf.

The Maple Leafs sit third in the league with a 22-7-6 record. The team also ranks within the top five of several key underlying categories at five-on-five, including goals for percentage (59.4), expected goals for percentage (54.2), and scoring chances for percentage (54.6), per Natural Stat Trick.