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

[Arzak]

It is likely him or Lucic and i think it might get settled in 1st leafs vs bruins game .. i suspect one will end up with a broken eye socket .. that fight may decide how far leafs go next year .. can't wait to go to that game

Gudas is 33 I would bet my money on him vs older Lucic and Reaves

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Reaves still needs to prove he can handle Lowry and MacDermid.



I just want a 4th line that I am not nervous will get scored on when the other team gets a mismatch.

They don't need to be small skilled guys, just not bad at hockey would be a stary

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Deslauriers is no match but he does have a hard head

Gudas is 33 I would bet my money on him vs older Lucic and Reaves

Gudas got knocked out in 1 punch by Deslaurier .. Reeves ragdolled Deslaurier .. gudas would be an instant knockout

 

[LaPlante94]

Reaves still needs to prove he can handle Lowry and MacDermid.



I just want a 4th line that I am not nervous will get scored on when the other team gets a mismatch.

They don't need to be small skilled guys, just not bad at hockey would be a start.

4th lines are mainly used to bring energy to the building and try to shift momentum with it being a rare goal, physical shift or even just possessing the puck in the o zone. With Kampf looking like the 4th line C that line isn't really gonna bring much offence anyways so I assume we're gonna hope for physical play and the o zone possessions even though those are always a 50/50 with 4th lines. Will Reaves be in the lineup every game? Who knows but looking at his stats they weren't as bad as I thought. Guys stats are like most 4th liners you see with minimal ice times that scores 5-10 goals a season and can get around 15-20 points. The way people been talking I assumed this guy only scored about 2 goals a year and maybe like 5 points or something. I also think Gregor will earn a spot on the roster and I think if injuries happen or if they want to give Reaves games off then a 4th line of Gregor-Kampf-Lafferty is pretty good as well. Idk if you said it or someone else in a earlier post about Reaves just brings what Simmonds does but Simmonds was better. I don't think people were really intimidated by Simmonds until they actually fought him. Guy was only like 180 pounds so he didn't really intimidate with his physical presence as much as Reaves who is 225 pounds. Simmonds had the reach though which is what made him a very good fighter.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Gudas is 33 I would bet my money on him vs older Lucic and Reaves

Being younger doesn't make you a better fighter what kind of weird ass logic is this. Reaves isn't 80.

 

[ACC1224]

Being younger doesn't make you a better fighter what kind of weird ass logic is this. Reaves isn't 80.

You could fill a book with their 'weird ass logic', most just ignore it.

 

[DarkKnight]

Jonas is hilarious, they had Johnston on their podcast to discuss the Leafs and their moves, which Johnston thinks were fairly extensive. So they begin with Jonas wanting to talk about Reaves, never even mentioned Bertuzzi or Domi, nope, the entire segment, the big question was Reaves. This minor move lives in his head rent free, it’s hilarious. If he can’t play he doesn’t and we bury the contract, it’s such a C story this camp, but to Jonas it’s the major question. Lol.

 

[notdoneyet]

Reaves still needs to prove he can handle Lowry and MacDermid.



I just want a 4th line that I am not nervous will get scored on when the other team gets a mismatch.

They don't need to be small skilled guys, just not bad at hockey would be a start.

Lowry and macdermid both have an advantage with the visor. Wonder how tough they would be without a visor

 

[notbias]

Jonas is hilarious, they had Johnston on their podcast to discuss the Leafs and their moves, which Johnston thinks were fairly extensive. So they begin with Jonas wanting to talk about Reaves, never even mentioned Bertuzzi or Domi, nope, the entire segment, the big question was Reaves. This minor move lives in his head rent free, it’s hilarious. If he can’t play he doesn’t and we bury the contract, it’s such a C story this camp, but to Jonas it’s the major question. Lol.

The only issue, is right now we are likely running 11-7 and can't carry any extra players.

Even if we bury him, the 200k over doesn't allow us to.

It's not a huge deal, but the overpayment does lead to some annoyances.

 

[LeafEgo]

It is likely him or Lucic and i think it might get settled in 1st leafs vs bruins game .. i suspect one will end up with a broken eye socket .. that fight may decide how far leafs go next year .. can't wait to go to that game

Think those two and Macdermid are about all evenly at the top when it comes to blows, but Reaves throws the biggest hits and has that extra swagger where he will put Ovi and Wilson on the ice and skate around like he owns the place. Get us amped up, take away their steam.

He's good in interviews as well, really rounds out some character for the team.

 

[horner]

Jonas is hilarious, they had Johnston on their podcast to discuss the Leafs and their moves, which Johnston thinks were fairly extensive. So they begin with Jonas wanting to talk about Reaves, never even mentioned Bertuzzi or Domi, nope, the entire segment, the big question was Reaves. This minor move lives in his head rent free, it’s hilarious. If he can’t play he doesn’t and we bury the contract, it’s such a C story this camp, but to Jonas it’s the major question. Lol.

Jonas he plays on the 4th line 7 min a night.
RELAX

 

[MilkofthePoppy]

Really wish we'd kept Martin. I've a conspiracy theory Babcock had an axe to grind with Martin which is why he was benched so much in his last season here. No other good reason for that trade given how effective Martin continued to be with the Islanders.



Really wish we'd the cap room to keep Schenn along with adding the snot up front. Capable of playing decent minutes with Rielly so he would be out there with our stars and he played the cop role so well, not to mention his good defensive and physical play in general. I get the need for Klingberg and he doesn't back down himself from a challenge but he and Schenn couldn't be more opposite.

In any event, it looks like the 23-24 Leafs version of your list is:

Nuclear: Reaves
Lunch Pail: Bertuzzi, Lafferty, McCabe
Agitators: Domi, Rielly to an extent, Klingberg can be greasy when he wants

It'd be nice if Knies could elevate himself to the Lunch Pail category. He's a USHL and NCAA guy though so it's doubtful but hey, the Tkachuk brothers also took that route and they aren't afraid to throw down, though obviously having a dad like Keith was a major influence on them. And maybe Benoit surprises and can give us third pairing minutes as a physical shutdown defenseman. Would be nice to develop that type and hold onto them for once rather than having to trade for it or overpay in free agency.

Rumor has it that Martin was ready to beat up Babcock after the list was revealed to the team. Not long after mid-season Martin became a healthy scratch and was subsequently traded so the timeline makes sense.

The development of this team would have been so different if we never signed Babcock and Marleau. Probably for the better.

 

[HockeyVirus]

If that happens who cares? Just bury the contract

Right. And if Holl sucks just play him on the bottom pair or scratch him. Sadly doesn't work that way with certain guys.

 

[stocker]

Last year Reaves had 7 fighting majors.Over /under this year 6. I will take the under

 

[Leaf Fans]

Gudas is 33 I would bet my money on him vs older Lucic and Reaves

It is your money and you can do what you want with it.

 

[ktownhockey]

Gudas is 33 I would bet my money on him vs older Lucic and Reaves

Not a chance.

 

[Rob Brown]

For those that think Reaves isn't any tougher or more intimidating than Simmonds or Clifford, in a player's poll conducted by The Athletic, the question 'Who's one player you better be aware of when he's on the ice or he's liable to clock ya?' had Reaves second behind only Tom Wilson.

 

[Malachi Crunch]

Jonas is hilarious, they had Johnston on their podcast to discuss the Leafs and their moves, which Johnston thinks were fairly extensive. So they begin with Jonas wanting to talk about Reaves, never even mentioned Bertuzzi or Domi, nope, the entire segment, the big question was Reaves. This minor move lives in his head rent free, it’s hilarious. If he can’t play he doesn’t and we bury the contract, it’s such a C story this camp, but to Jonas it’s the major question. Lol.

Jonas just exudes Beta energy. I can predict his stance on.....pretty much everything.

 

[DarkKnight]

Jonas just exudes Beta energy. I can predict his stance on.....pretty much everything.

I know right, it’s kind of boring after a while.

 

[Apex Predator]

I remember all the bad press Luke Schenn got before he was traded here, how he would be a 7th defenseman, how can you carry a fridge, etc. and yet by Game 1 of the Tampa series he was a folk hero again.

I suspect people will learn to appreciate Reaves for the specific role he’s brought here for.

Exactly!! Everyone was posting charts and stats about how he’s not good enough to be in our top 6.

Jonas is hilarious, they had Johnston on their podcast to discuss the Leafs and their moves, which Johnston thinks were fairly extensive. So they begin with Jonas wanting to talk about Reaves, never even mentioned Bertuzzi or Domi, nope, the entire segment, the big question was Reaves. This minor move lives in his head rent free, it’s hilarious. If he can’t play he doesn’t and we bury the contract, it’s such a C story this camp, but to Jonas it’s the major question. Lol.

Reminds you of some others on this board.

 

[Stephen]

Jonas is hilarious, they had Johnston on their podcast to discuss the Leafs and their moves, which Johnston thinks were fairly extensive. So they begin with Jonas wanting to talk about Reaves, never even mentioned Bertuzzi or Domi, nope, the entire segment, the big question was Reaves. This minor move lives in his head rent free, it’s hilarious. If he can’t play he doesn’t and we bury the contract, it’s such a C story this camp, but to Jonas it’s the major question. Lol.

Jonas has a really odd hang up about certain physical players being on the Leafs, as if all other teams can have a goon or two and the Leafs have to deal with the consequences on the ice. But heaven forbid we have some of that on our side.

 

[LeafSteel]

Gudas is 33 I would bet my money on him turtling vs older Lucic and Reaves

Fixed it for you.

YOU are WELCOME!

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Jonas keeps going on about how the Leafs have “tried this before,” the this being adding grit and personality to the lineup to try and shift the culture. While that’s half true, I think there’s a big difference in how this new group has more “f*** you” energy than previous attempts at adding grit.

Schenn was great and O’Reilly had character, but those guys were more honourable in their grittiness, more reactive than proactive. Acciari was a pinball out there but again, not instigating the scrums. The closest we got to this level of assholery was 2021, but Thornton and Simmonds were both old and mostly useless, Foligno’s back was shot to hell, and Nash may as well have not even existed. Bogosian was fine but as we all know he ran back to America following that season, and Muzzin was also more of a protector than an aggressor, and he got injured near the end of that cursed series.

To me, this latest attempt at changing the culture has clearly put more emphasis on guys who will cause the mischief on the ice. Bertuzzi, Domi, and Reaves will “drag the Leafs into the fight” as Steve Dangle puts it. McCabe is also a jerk and Klingberg is understatedly one himself, so they’ll be part of that as well. Rielly, Lafferty, and Giordano have already shown willingness to stick up for themselves and fight in defence of their teammates, if this new batch of grit can encourage more of the team to play more aggressive and have more of a pack mentality that’ll be huge. And they’ll have a full year to do it, instead of a few games after the TDL to get acclimated.

 

[LaPlante94]

Jonas keeps going on about how the Leafs have “tried this before,” the this being adding grit and personality to the lineup to try and shift the culture. While that’s half true, I think there’s a big difference in how this new group has more “f*** you” energy than previous attempts at adding grit.

Schenn was great and O’Reilly had character, but those guys were more honourable in their grittiness, more reactive than proactive. Acciari was a pinball out there but again, not instigating the scrums. The closest we got to this level of assholery was 2021, but Thornton and Simmonds were both old and mostly useless, Foligno’s back was shot to hell, and Nash may as well have not even existed. Bogosian was fine but as we all know he ran back to America following that season, and Muzzin was also more of a protector than an aggressor, and he got injured near the end of that cursed series.

To me, this latest attempt at changing the culture has clearly put more emphasis on guys who will cause the mischief on the ice. Bertuzzi, Domi, and Reaves will “drag the Leafs into the fight” as Steve Dangle puts it. McCabe is also a jerk and Klingberg is understatedly one himself, so they’ll be part of that as well. Rielly, Lafferty, and Giordano have already shown willingness to stick up for themselves and fight in defence of their teammates, if this new batch of grit can encourage more of the team to play more aggressive and have more of a pack mentality that’ll be huge. And they’ll have a full year to do it, instead of a few games after the TDL to get acclimated.

Yeah I don't think it's the same at all. Before we'd add 1 guy and expect them to do everything when it came to bring any kind of physical game. A lot of them were also players at the end of their careers. Last season was pretty much the 1st time we brought in a few guys and they were all at the deadline after we got rid of our entire bottom 6. Idk how Jonas can compare that to bringing in guys like Domi, Bertuzzi, Reaves, Benoit and Gregor if he makes the team at all. Got guys who aren't afraid to play that rough style of game on all lines now pretty much and the ones who'll play with our core players can still play the game with a lot of skill as well.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

Jonas is hilarious, they had Johnston on their podcast to discuss the Leafs and their moves, which Johnston thinks were fairly extensive. So they begin with Jonas wanting to talk about Reaves, never even mentioned Bertuzzi or Domi, nope, the entire segment, the big question was Reaves. This minor move lives in his head rent free, it’s hilarious. If he can’t play he doesn’t and we bury the contract, it’s such a C story this camp, but to Jonas it’s the major question. Lol.

Well said. It's just so sad how Jonas can't hold back. He has no ability to write about the leafs in any emotionally disassociated way. He hates the thought of fighting and an enforcers' role in hockey.