Music: {allcanada} EAKINS: DON'T COMPARE RIELLY

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

{allcanada} EAKINS: DON'T COMPARE RIELLY

The Toronto Sun indicates Dallas Eakins is about to take charge of the Leafs' best offensive defenceman draft pick in years.

Which Eakins knows will be a test, not only for Morgan Rielly, but the organization and its often impatient fans.

"I don't want him compared to Paul Coffey," the Marlies coach said Monday on the phone from a road stop in Cleveland. "I want him to be Morgan Rielly. I don't like how we do those comparisons in our city, young guys to great players of the past. I think you're setting kids up to fail."

Rielly had a banner year for the Moose Jaw Warriors, 42 assists and 54 points in 60 games on a non-playoff team. He also had a trip to the world juniors for Team Canada and stopped by Leafs camp on his way home from Russia. The fifth pick overall in 2012 will join the Marlies Wednesday in Chicago and likely make his pro debut there Friday against the Wolves.

"The first thing he'll find is the AHL is a step up, pace-wise," Eakins said. "We'll get a feel for what he can do."