Rielly sets modern-era record for points by defenseman in 1st 5 games

Morgan Rielly's red-hot start to the 2018-19 season has earned him a spot in the NHL's history books.

With a goal and an assist on Thursday night, the Toronto Maple Leafs top-pairing blue-liner bumped up his point total to 12, making him the highest-scoring defenseman in the NHL's modern era (since 1943) through five contests, per Sportsnet Stats.

Here's a look at the names he passed:

Rielly now sits ahead of some legendary defenseman, and he's also tied with teammate Auston Matthews for the league lead in points.

Rielly, 24, broke out offensively last season, posting a career-high 52 points in 72 games, and he looks poised to set a new personal benchmark in his sixth NHL campaign.

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