If Morgan Rielly is responsible for the difference between the Maple Leafs’ 5-on-5 goal difference when he’s on the ice and when he’s on the bench this year, he’s quite possibly the worst player in NHL history.



He’s the anti-Gretzky.



When Rielly isn’t on the ice year, the Leafs are one of the best 5-on-5 teams in the NHL. They’ve scored 57.3 per cent of the 5-on-5 goals. Only Washington has been better than that.



When Rielly is on the ice, they’ve scored 42.5 per cent of the 5-on-5 goals. Only Colorado has been worse.



Leafs coach Mike Babcock got into the Rielly issue before his team took on the Blackhawks on Saturday. He put up a strong defence.



“I think Mo’s a great player,” he said. “I thought he was a big part of our win the other night. I think he’s one of the best young D-men in the world, and we’re pumped to have him.”



Plus-minus is a terrible statistic. But it’s hard to ignore that Rielly is minus-69 for his career as he completes his fourth season in the NHL, particularly if you live in Toronto, where his plus-minus has been a hot topic for a while now.



The underlying causes of it are rarely discussed,...