Confirmed with Link: Leafs sign F Ryan Reaves (3 years, $1.3M AAV)

[tuckerintensity]

If 1.3mil is the make or break for this team, then there is no hope anyway. I guess people just like to complain about stuff.

You new here?

 

[Magic Man]

Why not get it from a guy that can play hockey too, though?

That would have been preferable. I think most Leaf fans wanted to bring Schenn back and then Reaves isn't really needed. But, they still needed that element either way. If that scenario plays itself out again it will be Reaves standing there.

If Schenn leaves and you keep Acciari over Reaves for instance I think you're missing that intimidating force. There are only so many Schenn's.

 

[tuckerintensity]

That would have been preferable. I think most Leaf fans wanted to bring Schenn back and then Reaves isn't really needed. But, they still needed that element either way. If that scenario plays itself out again it will be Reaves standing there.

If Schenn leaves and you keep Acciari over Reaves for instance I think you're missing that intimidating force. There are only so many Schenn's.

I mean, if he doesn't end up in the press box like has happened to him in the past.

 

[A1LeafNation]

So Reaves beating the shit out of Bennett next game, correct?

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

Remember when the Leafs told us all they were no longer going to employ no talent goons?

Then proceeded to do exactly that.

First Simmonds, then Clifford, now Reaves. It speaks volumes to the Leafs need for grit they added a 36 year old with 129 points in over 800 games played. On a three year deal, no less.

For $1.3M a season.

What I really wish is the players the Leafs already have would grow a pair. A team of guys who can punch faces AND play good hockey would be nice. Instead of having to waste millions of dollars and a roster spot on a no talent goon who is tough but can't play.

They already had that in Simmonds.

And Clifford.

 

[inthe6ix]

Would have preferred that money go into retaining Schenn somehow, but it is done. Now if Ryan can establish the same group unity that they had in VGK while we was there (he is supposedly a big glue guy off the ice), and simply act as a deterrent (because no one who plays a regular shift is stupid enough to antagonize him anyways), that is exactly what we need.

 

[Mentat]

What I really wish is the players the Leafs already have would grow a pair. A team of guys who can punch faces AND play good hockey would be nice

Tell that to our 6ply star players.
Adding "goons" will help mitigate the issue, but our star players lack the testicular fortitude to push back and play physical hockey. That´s far from a successful recipe for the PO´s, as the last few years have clearly shown.

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

Tell that to our 6ply star players.
Adding "goons" will help mitigate the issue, but our star players lack the testicular fortitude to push back and play physical hockey. That´s far from a successful recipe for the PO´s, as the last few years have clearly shown.

Thanks for the response.

Reaves almost certainly won't even dress for the playoffs.

So signing him seems a bit bizarre on the surface. I doubt he will have much impact even if he did get into a few playoffs games. None of the other goons the team brought in could overcome the the softness of the flaccid five.

A blind squirrel has more nuts than these guys.

A basketball game has more balls.

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

if the Leafs make the playoffs and theyre playing a team that is running around cowing the big dogs into submission, you can send a 4th liner to the press box and insert Willards boy to wreck one of theirs and get the other team settled down.

having a nuclear option at your disposal is useful and after what we all saw just a few months ago anyone who says we don't need this is living in dreamland

Did you notice the guys causing havoc were all people who take regular shifts? It doesn’t work the way you think it does.

 

[Arzak]

At least there's a solid chance of Reaves beating up Lucic this year, that will distract us from everything else for at least about a day

There is a solid chance he'll try, but I'm not betting on him.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

There is a solid chance he'll try, but I'm not betting on him.

Reaves is the best fighter in the league.

 

[Rob Brown]

Thanks for the response.

Reaves almost certainly won't even dress for the playoffs.

So signing him seems a bit bizarre on the surface. I doubt he will have much impact even if he did get into a few playoffs games. None of the other goons the team brought in could overcome the the softness of the flaccid five.

A blind squirrel has more nuts than these guys.

A basketball game has more balls.

Bolded is why he was brought in - to try to change the mindset in the room and help them play a big bigger on the ice.

 

[Arzak]

Exactly, Bennett and Tkachuk can still go around throwing borderline illegal hits but it'll feel different for them watching Barkov laying on the ice knocked out.

The odds of Reaves being on the ice with Barkov are slim to none.

Hence why Tkachuk was effective. Reaves will get 11 min per game vs 4th liners.

Reaves is the best fighter in the league.

I'll give him Lucic but I don't see him beating the sh*t out of Gudas.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

The odds of Reaves being on the ice with Barkov are slim to none.

Hence why Tkachuk was effective. Reaves will get 11 min per game vs 4th liners.



I'll give him Lucic but I don't see him beating the sh*t out of Gudas.

Who cares Gudas is off to the land of irrelevancy. I don't really see any single person in the league that would be favored in a fight over Reaves. He certainly won't back down from anyone.

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

Bolded is why he was brought in - to try to change the mindset in the room and help them play a big bigger on the ice.

Thanks for the response.

We all know why he was brought in. The question for me is why bother? It never worked the other times they tried it.

I don't know what makes anyone think it's going to work now.

 

[ACC1224]

So Reaves beating the shit out of Bennett next game, correct?

At a minimum. When do they play Florida?

 

[Rob Brown]

Thanks for the response.

We all know why he was brought in. The question for me is why bother? It never worked the other times they tried it.

I don't know what makes anyone think it's going to work now.

Why bother? Probably to try to change things up, give the team a different look on the ice and feel in the room, and to take a chance. Same reason you make any move.

 

[saltming]

The odds of Reaves being on the ice with Barkov are slim to none.

Hence why Tkachuk was effective. Reaves will get 11 min per game vs 4th liners.



I'll give him Lucic but I don't see him beating the sh*t out of Gudas.

I see lots of post saying reaves will be off the ice when top players are on the ice. Reaves is a 4th line player but a coach can put him on any line at any time for any duration. If the coach wants him to go out and deliver a message to the other team, he can simply tap reaves on the helmet and an appropriate time. Maybe he plays 11:30 that game

 

[saltming]

Seems to be in the ice with Ovechkin here. Taking that hit like it was nothing is very underrated

 

[namttebih]

Remember when the Leafs told us all they were no longer going to employ no talent goons?

Then proceeded to do exactly that.

First Simmonds, then Clifford, now Reaves. It speaks volumes to the Leafs need for grit they added a 36 year old with 129 points in over 800 games played. On a three year deal, no less.

For $1.3M a season.

What I really wish is the players the Leafs already have would grow a pair. A team of guys who can punch faces AND play good hockey would be nice. Instead of having to waste millions of dollars and a roster spot on a no talent goon who is tough but can't play.

They already had that in Simmonds.

And Clifford.

3 years older than Simmonds - who has been unplayable in the playoffs 2 years in a row. Makes a ton of sense.

 

[Notsince67]

So Reaves beating the shit out of Bennett next game, correct?

Maybe he trains Knies how to fight. Kid has the tools...now he needs the knowledge.

 

[Twine Tickler]

I am coming around to this signing now. I think when it was the only signing made on July 1, I was just so confused. Coupled with the departures of Schenner, ROR, and cookie. But when you bring in Bert, Klingberg, and Domi in place of the departed, the entire UFA window is a success in my mind.

We need a culture change IMO. Reavo helps with that majorly. He's a feared player in the league, and he is far from quiet. The kind of guy that drags you into the fight. We need guys like him to challenge not only the other teams, but our core players to grow a set when the noose gets tighter. Brad said he wanted more snot, and he got exactly that with Reavo, Bert, and Domi. Those are highly competitive players that will help change the culture of our room. We need guys who hate to lose.

One thing I truly wish our boys had these last 7 seasons was push back. You look at game 2 against the bolts as a prime example of a championship culture. The Bolts got absolutely speed bagged from the opening puck drop to the final horn, yet they never backed down. They made sure we paid a price for embarrassing them. That's what all winning teams do. We just calmly take our lumps, and take it on the chin every time. This needs to change.

I don't like the term of the deal for Reavo, but I genuinely believe he has been brought in to establish a standard that has been missing for quite some time. I really don't think he is afraid to call guys out on it either.

Happy to have him in blue and white

 

[Notsince67]

At a minimum. When do they play Florida?

Oct 19th

 

[ACC1224]

Oct 19th

Nice, get to see if the new look offers a response.

 

[Notsince67]

Nice, get to see if the new look offers a response.

It's a must response but I would rather Knies settle it up on his own. Reeves can handle the periphery.