Rielly is Maple Leafs outdoor expert for Heritage Classic against Sabres

HAMILTON, Ontario --Morgan Rielly and his Toronto Maple Leafs teammates had been on the ice for a couple of minutes when snow began falling heavily at Tim Hortons Field on Saturday. It was the type of winter wonderland the defenseman said makes events like the 2022 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic so memorable.

He would know.
Rielly is the only player to have participated in each of the three previous NHL outdoor games the Maple Leafs have taken part in. As such, the 28-year-old is an expert at things, such as how to dress in layers, how to deal with wind conditions and negotiating sun glare.
Still, when Toronto plays the Buffalo Sabres at Tim Hortons Field on Sunday (4 p.m. ET; TNT, SN, TVAS, NHL LIVE), this game will have a little extra meaning.
"My dad [Andy] was born here in Hamilton," Rielly said. "Both of his parents are from here, so there's always been that kind of Ontario connection, so to be here in Hamilton is so much fun.
"I was talking to my grandma Louis the other night. Just about the old days and living here before they moved out to Vancouver. It's so cool. I'm glad that they're out here and they get a chance to enjoy this with us."

Rielly and his dad got to enjoy a special moment once practice finished, giving way to an informal skate in which family members joined in. It was a chance for an NHL son to glide around the rink with his dad, who was back in his hometown.
"I made sure in advance he was dressed warmly for the occasion," Rielly said with a chuckle. "I wasn't going to make that mistake again."
Rielly was referring to the 2014 Winter Classic between the Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings on Jan. 1, 2014, his first outdoor NHL game.
With an NHL-record crowd of 105,491 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the Maple Leafs defeated the Red Wings 3-2 when forward Tyler Bozak scored the decisive goal in a shootout. The game was played in snowy conditions with a temperature of 13 degrees Fahrenheit, and a windchill of 0. At one point, one of the referee's whistles stopped working because the little ball inside of it froze.
The players were prepared for the conditions. Rielly's parents Andy and Shirley, who had come in from Vancouver, were not.
"I don't think I did a very good job of communicating with them about what to expect," Rielly said. "They had just arrived, and it was a little colder than they anticipated, and that one was on Jan. 1, and there was more of a party for the parents the night before, and I think they kind of missed out on that. So I kind of left them hung out to dry a little bit."
Rielly made sure history didn't repeat itself.
"Since then, we've done a good job of having them come in a couple of days before and really get to enjoy the experience," he said. "Even getting my dad on the ice here. In fact, I think the last time he was on the ice was at BMO Field in Toronto before the Centennial Classic."

The Scotiabank NHL Centennial Classic between the Maple Leafs and Red Wings took place Jan. 1, 2017 and was won by Toronto 5-4 when forward Auston Matthews scored at 3:40 of overtime.
"That one was awesome," Rielly said. "Being at home, doing it in front of our fans, not having to travel, having my family there and, of course, the outcome."
After not getting a point in Ann Arbor, Rielly had an assist at BMO Field. Fourteen months later he would be held off the scoresheet in the Maple Leafs third NHL outdoor game, a 5-2 loss to the Washington Capitals in a 2018 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series game at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, home of the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, on March 3, 2018.
"That one was cool just because what that place is and what it represents," Rielly said. "And it was great to be there a couple of days early and learn about the history and such. The result, well, that wasn't so good."
Rielly hopes the Maple Leafs will fare better on Sunday after losing to the Sabres 5-1 in Toronto on March 2.
"We know how good they are," he said. "Today is about having fun and enjoying the experience. On Sunday, it's all business. Whether it's cold and windy like it's supposed to be, you just have to move the puck quickly and deal with it. It's the same conditions with both teams."
And once the final horn sounds, win or lose, the memory of yet another special game in the elements will be added to his personal file.
"I have bottles of wine from the Michigan game with the logos of the two teams on them," Rielly said. "My dad still wears Winter Classic parkas in the winter."
He broke into a wide grin.
"These are the little things that you collect over time that, you know, mean more than just another game. And Sunday will bring more of them."
Including a cherished memory between father and son.