Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly cross checking Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig
Photo credit: Bleacher Report

BREAKING: Morgan Rielly Finally Addresses The Media Following The Greig Incident

Published February 21, 2024 at 5:18 PM
BY SAMER
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Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly recently received a 5 game suspension after reacting violently to a slapshot into an empty net by Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig earlier this month. Rielly cross-checked Greig, leading to a scuffle on the ice at Canadian Tire Centre.


Morgan Rielly Breaks Silence For The First Time Since The Suspension



With only one game left on his suspension, Rielly has commented on the incident and the appeal process.


"It was just a reactionary thing. I felt like I just wanted to address something. Obviously, it got away from me. It was not intended to be executed the way it was," Rielly said of his cross-check. "It's been an opportunity to learn and grow a little bit."

"At that point it's kind of out of your control," Rielly then continued of his suspension. "We appealed, and that's about all you can do. Obviously, we were trying to get it down because I wanted to get back on the ice, but the league made a decision and you just got to live with it."



Regarding the suspension, Rielly mentioned that they appealed but ultimately had to accept the league's decision.

Rielly's teammates supported his actions, interpreting the cross-check as a display of caring for the team's well-being.

"I guess that's the way [Greig] wanted to send a message, and I'm glad Rielly responded to it," Nick Robertson said. "I think we were just kind of annoyed. We were not happy with that scenario.

"He's definitely a guy who cares. He's been here the longest. It's good to see guys show emotion like that. You know, it shows that he cares."


Here is the full interview:


Despite criticisms of the Leafs performance and Rielly's actions, the veteran defenseman is set to return to the lineup tomorrow against the Vegas Golden Knights.

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February 21   |   305 answers
BREAKING: Morgan Rielly Finally Addresses The Media Following The Greig Incident

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