Rielly had 27 points (six goals, 21 assists) in his fourth season as Toronto made the playoffs for the first time in four years. He jumped to 52 points (six goals, 46 assists) in his fifth and could be breaking out even bigger now.
The comparison isn't perfect. For starters, Keith was a second-round pick (No. 54) in the 2002 NHL Draft and entered the NHL at 22, whereas Rielly was the No. 5 pick in the 2012 NHL Draft and entered the NHL at 19.
This is not a prediction that Rielly will win the Norris Trophy this season, let alone his first of two, like Keith did, or that the Maple Leafs will win the Stanley Cup this season, let alone the first of three championships in six years, like the Blackhawks did.
The point is that it can take time for defensemen to mature, and when you're a skilled player, having other skilled players around can bring out your best. Keith's maturation coincided with the injection of talent up front in Chicago and led to big things for him and his team. Something similar could be happening with Rielly in Toronto.
"It's a hard league for a [defenseman]," Babcock said. "We've got good offensive players up front, and Morgan can pass and really skate. … [Rielly] has got confidence. No one gives it to you. You've got to earn it. And I think he earned a lot last year and he's really come on again this year. He feels like every night he goes out there he can do something."
Rielly isn't spending as much time in the defensive zone. Now when he makes outlet passes, or joins the rush, or plays the point on the power play, it's with the likes of Marner, Matthews, Marleau and Tavares. When you play in the offensive end, you have more chances to be lucky. When you play with the lead, you have more chances for assists on empty-net goals. That's how you get rolling like this.
"There's been a lot of turnover in terms of personnel, lots of new players," Rielly said. "Management, coaching staff, has all changed since I've been here. It's been interesting to watch, seeing both ends of the spectrum, for sure.
"But I think when you look around the room now, I mean, we're a confident group. We like who we have here. We have confidence in our structure. We're all very comfortable with one another, and I think it's just a good environment to be in for a player. I think we enjoy being around one another and on a night-to-night basis we really enjoy coming to the rink. And I think that's really contagious.
"For a group to be going through this stuff with [Matthews] playing the way he is and [Tavares] and [Marner] playing together the way they are, I think it's just really exciting and fun to be a part of."