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

[ACC1224]

Basically traded Lafferty for Gregor and a 5th. That’s a good deal in my eyes

Pretty hard to get upset over that, seems like a win.

 

[MarnerElite]

Team toughness is what we need but also i'd rather have players who make the right plays on the ice (instead of Reaves, Brodie, JT and few others who constantly make exact same dumb plays that keep and will keep costing us)...But let's wait 20 or so more games for you to see that this team is SIMILAR to before with just more drama(which actually can turn badly when things don't go your way)...

We could have just kept Simmonds because at least he can somewhat play (responsible defensively, can cycle pucks down low, etc) while fighting and protecting star players.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

That's not true. 85% of it can be buried, not 99.8%. And again, he's not buried. He's costing 1.35m against the cap.

Reaves is the same thing. Which is why you can't actually name anything that's different. He's just the shiny new toy.

Gregor and Minten cost 775k and 845k respectively. They didn't force anything.

Your statement is contradictory. You claim it's irrelevant, but then you claim we need both. Well, we don't have both, because we lost the better tool for the worse, more expensive, more rusted tool that we didn't really need.

Yes they did because they both, because they both played significantly better than Lafferty and for that matter so did Holmberg and Cowan, Cowan was never going to be on this team out of camp but he was better than Lafferty.

Lafferty got out played by a minimum of 4 players

Gregor
Minten
Holmberg
Cowan

 

[myleafs]

Team toughness is what we need but also i'd rather have players who make the right plays on the ice (instead of Reaves, Brodie, JT and few others who constantly make exact same dumb plays that keep and will keep costing us)...But let's wait 20 or so more games for you to see that this team is SIMILAR to before with just more drama(which actually can turn badly when things don't go your way)...

We could have just kept Simmonds because at least he can somewhat play (responsible defensively, can cycle pucks down low, etc) while fighting and protecting star players.

Exactly what wrong plays has Reaves made?

 

[MarnerElite]

Exactly what wrong plays has Reaves made?

really? You don't notice he doesn't even backcheck?.....Can't really skate(takes a long time to get going)...But ok...He's basically a guy who can make big hits and fight(doesn't even have good ability to keep pucks in the other zone...he should be able to do it easily but he's just not that good at it). But ok enjoy the hits, fights and all the drama. Remember that none of these guys(Lafferty, Gregor, Reaves, and many others we got from other teams in last few years) are that good because if they were other teams would have kept them(some can play a decent bottom role though..Gregor for example)...Only bottom teams would get these players and it'd be an upgrade but instead we did(which is why we keep going out early every year).

Until i see this team winning games 2-0, , 2-1, 3-0, 3-1 and such, instead of 6-5, 7-5, etc, this is pretty much the same team as before with no ability to play d. The only things i like are Knies and this Minten kid might actually be a useful player for us. Everything else is around the same as before(although i'll have to see whether Domi and Bertuzzi are an upgrade...so far it's basically similar to what we lost).

 

[Mess]

Team toughness is what we need but also i'd rather have players who make the right plays on the ice (instead of Reaves, Brodie, JT and few others who constantly make exact same dumb plays that keep and will keep costing us)...But let's wait 20 or so more games for you to see that this team is SIMILAR to before with just more drama(which actually can turn badly when things don't go your way)...

We could have just kept Simmonds because at least he can somewhat play (responsible defensively, can cycle pucks down low, etc) while fighting and protecting star players.

Reaves, along with Max Domi and Tyler Bertuzzi, have certainly brought the "snot" that Leafs' GM Brad Treliving was looking for this summer, as they have all been in the middle of scrums. However, the most impressive thing they have done is dragged the likes of John Tavares, Mitch Marner and Matthews into them as well and have gotten them to embrace the team battle mentality.

Toronto has dipped their toe in the toughness waters throughout the years and tried to bring that edge, but they never went all-in. Since the Colton Orr and Frazer McLaren days, I think they went 'we'll bring in a Kyle Clifford, we'll bring in a Wayne Simmonds... those guys are kind of tough, but this is the biggest top dog in the NHL, and everybody knows it... And the good thing about Ryan Reaves is he's fast, he can get in on the forecheck, I think he's proven it the first two games, he's been laying guys out... You've gotta make yourself relevant other than just dropping the gloves, so he's good for this team.

He's a good guy. He's going to definitely make up his contract there. When he signed, I said 'Reavo, you're overpaid, how do you do it?' But I'm teasing because he does other things that nobody sees to make up for the lack of offensive production on the ice." - John Scott on Ryan Reaves.

 

[HockeyVirus]

The main thing with this is the identity has been established since game 1. A lot of ego on our team in a good way, we don't want to be pushed around and want to be in your face about it.

Last season Dubas tried to make the team into that with 20 games left. The team played worse after the TDL than before it.

This year if Treliving brings in a Schenn or Accairi they will be more of the same and fit right in and help the identity.

 

[Contenderorpretender]

Gotta set the tone boys. Reaves is always ready to set the tone.

 

[mclaren55]

People complaining about Reaves have nothing else to complain about. He has been more than fine for a 4th liner. It's actually visible the impact he has had on our lineup. You can tell the guys get hyped when he is throwing hits and getting in scraps.

People in this thread thinking his sub 1.4mil salary is going to hinder us, but regularly defended massive contracts that have had far more of an impact on our cap structure. Hypocrisy at it's finest.

 

[Sypher04]

Say what you want about his hockey ability but I think it’s fair to say Matthews giving him the belt for game 2 is a pretty clear sign of how the players in that room value him

 

[Sypher04]

People in this thread thinking his sub 1.4mil salary is going to hinder us, but regularly defended massive contracts that have had far more of an impact on our cap structure. Hypocrisy at its finest.

I agree 1.4 for Reaves isn’t a big deal, but I disagree with the line you’re drawing between it and the big contracts. Everything is relative and while the contracts of Matthews and Marner especially are very large, so is their value. I think it’s entirely defendable to say Reaves is overpaid while Matthews and Marner are not.

Tavares is overpaid at this point but that’s not a controversial opinion amongst us fans

 

[supermann_98]

Auston Matthews passes off Leafs championship belt to new member of the team, explains why​

Midway through the first period, Ryan Reaves woke up the Scotiabank Arena crowd with a massive hit on Frederick Gaudreau and immediately fought Marcus Foligno while Gaudreau remained on the ice. It was a spirited tilt that saw the former teammates trade some heavy shots before the linesmen separated them. The shift from Reaves swung the momentum in the Leafs' favour and they didn't look back, securing a 7-4 win over the visiting Minnesota Wild.

Following the game, Auston Matthews, who scored his second hat-trick in as many games, awarded Reaves with the Maple Leafs championship belt, awarded to the player of the game after each win, and had this to say about the first year Leaf:



View attachment 753488

Forget what Matthews says, Dekes for Days’ opinion matters more!

 

[Mess]

Forget what Matthews says, Dekes for Days’ opinion matters more!

The Leafs are 2-0-0 in the Reaves era, so maybe there's something to the aura he brings to the team. In years past, when the team was faced with adversity, they'd fold more often than not. Take the Montreal game, for example. The Leafs were down 5-3 in the third period against an inferior opponent. In the past, that might have been a game that they had lost. However, the confidence they have this year allowed them to battle back and secure the 6-5 shootout win.

Was their win directly because of Reaves? No, but we can't rule out the fact that the players in the locker room had stated after the game that Reaves' big hits and fight with Arber Xhekaj fired them up. The energy that a guy like Reaves provides is felt throughout the lineup and in each of the last two games, guys have been vocal about what Reaves has brought to the team.

So far, through 2 games, Reaves has racked up approximately 18 minutes of ice time in total and has 8 hits, 2 fights and a shot on goal, but perhaps the most important intangible that he brings to the table is how he makes the guys around him feel in that locker room.

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

It's really nice when you have a guy you can throw out at the end of the game to police shenanigans.

 

[Stephen]

People complaining about Reaves have nothing else to complain about. He has been more than fine for a 4th liner. It's actually visible the impact he has had on our lineup. You can tell the guys get hyped when we is throwing hits and getting in scraps.

People in this thread thinking his sub 1.4mil salary is going to hinder us, but regularly defended massive contracts that have had far more of an impact on our cap structure. Hypocrisy at it's finest.

People who are against the Reaves signing tend to have underpinning philosophies about the direction of how the game should be played and the value of certain player types and register the human element and team building a different way. I’m just happy it’s spurring on the star power to have a great start and change the energy on the team.

The fact is Reaves is a specialized tool and his value is being able to generate momentum a different way and provide the skilled players more comfort out on the ice. And it’s not necessarily about doing all the stuff Lafferty can do for you. As a fan you don’t have to believe in those concepts if you don’t want to. But I’m glad the players are enjoying it.

 

[Guided by Veseys]

Who actually cared about Lafferty until he was traded anyways? Talk about a non impactful player. He was just out skating around fast, not being particularly good at anything for his whole duration with the leafs. Average at best.

 

[ACC1224]

Who actually cared about Lafferty until he was traded anyways? Talk about a non impactful player. He was just out skating around fast, not being particularly good at anything for his whole duration with the leafs. Average at best.

There's always one or two attention seekers.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Who actually cared about Lafferty until he was traded anyways? Talk about a non impactful player. He was just out skating around fast, not being particularly good at anything for his whole duration with the leafs. Average at best.

I think when you frame it like the other posted did such as Lafferty for Gregor and a 5th...it's hard to not like it.

Cheaper player and draft capital back.

 

[DarkKnight]

really? You don't notice he doesn't even backcheck?.....Can't really skate(takes a long time to get going)...But ok...He's basically a guy who can make big hits and fight(doesn't even have good ability to keep pucks in the other zone...he should be able to do it easily but he's just not that good at it). But ok enjoy the hits, fights and all the drama. Remember that none of these guys(Lafferty, Gregor, Reaves, and many others we got from other teams in last few years) are that good because if they were other teams would have kept them(some can play a decent bottom role though..Gregor for example)...Only bottom teams would get these players and it'd be an upgrade but instead we did(which is why we keep going out early every year).

Until i see this team winning games 2-0, , 2-1, 3-0, 3-1 and such, instead of 6-5, 7-5, etc, this is pretty much the same team as before with no ability to play d. The only things i like are Knies and this Minten kid might actually be a useful player for us. Everything else is around the same as before(although i'll have to see whether Domi and Bertuzzi are an upgrade...so far it's basically similar to what we lost).

Laughable, Keefe himself said he’s always on the right side of the puck, try watching instead of your garbage predetermined bias.

 

[Stephen]

Who actually cared about Lafferty until he was traded anyways? Talk about a non impactful player. He was just out skating around fast, not being particularly good at anything for his whole duration with the leafs. Average at best.

Lafferty came into Scotiabank last year and scored 1 goal vs Toronto while a Blackhawk and became a hipster favorite trade target like the missing link between Engvall and the ZAR’s of the world… a few months later the prophecy was fulfilled.



We have quickly filled in his spot with a smaller Noah Gregor already.

 

[notbias]

People who are against the Reaves signing tend to have underpinning philosophies about the direction of how the game should be played and the value of certain player types and register the human element and team building a different way. I’m just happy it’s spurring on the star power to have a great start and change the energy on the team.

The fact is Reaves is a specialized tool and his value is being able to generate momentum a different way and provide the skilled players more comfort out on the ice. And it’s not necessarily about doing all the stuff Lafferty can do for you. As a fan you don’t have to believe in those concepts if you don’t want to. But I’m glad the players are enjoying it.

No, he is just not good and old.

You win by scoring more goals than the other team, and people want to win.

People who like the Reaves signing tend to be old and think hockey is played like it was in the 80s.

We've had goons every year, Reaves is not new.

Having said that, he has been fine so far, and I hope he keeps it up.

Who actually cared about Lafferty until he was traded anyways? Talk about a non impactful player. He was just out skating around fast, not being particularly good at anything for his whole duration with the leafs. Average at best.

It was always that the best lineup didn't involve Reaves, it had Lafferty over him.

Lafferty is also much better than he showed here, but ya, I guess after a while you need to ship him out if it isn't working.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Team toughness is what we need but also i'd rather have players who make the right plays on the ice (instead of Reaves, Brodie, JT and few others who constantly make exact same dumb plays that keep and will keep costing us)...But let's wait 20 or so more games for you to see that this team is SIMILAR to before with just more drama(which actually can turn badly when things don't go your way)...

We could have just kept Simmonds because at least he can somewhat play (responsible defensively, can cycle pucks down low, etc) while fighting and protecting star players.

Simmonds is cooked, there is a reason he doesn't have an NHL deal, or as far as I know even an AHL deal.

 

[GoonieFace]

Say what you want about his hockey ability but I think it’s fair to say Matthews giving him the belt for game 2 is a pretty clear sign of how the players in that room value him

Since when do players opinions count? Posters like Dekes have the real scoop

 

[Stephen]

No, he is just not good and old.

You win by scoring more goals than the other team, and people want to win.

People who like the Reaves signing tend to be old and think hockey is played like it was in the 80s.

We've had goons every year, Reaves is not new.

Having said that, he has been fine so far, and I hope he keeps it up.



It was always that the best lineup didn't involve Reaves, it had Lafferty over him.

Lafferty is also much better than he showed here, but ya, I guess after a while you need to ship him out if it isn't working.

Even if we went with your over simplification that scoring more goals is the whole game and all other factors can be eliminated, Sam Lafferty has been in the NHL since 2019-20 and has 24 career goals. Reaves has 19 in that same amount of time. So if the delta is 5 NHL goals spread out over 4 seasons, you’re championing the wrong guy to prove your point.

 

[Leaf Fans]

Noah Gregor is a younger, cheaper and better version to Lafferty which made him expendable. That is why Leafs traded Lafferty to avoid losing him on waivers and then signing Gregor off his PTO to fill his 4th line roster spot.

I think Gregor has been good (scored a goal that helped beat Montreal in game #1) and Reaves impact has been noticeable and impactful. To me its their center David Kampf that has been the weakest link of the 4th line to date. If yes, Kampf was more a grittier and banger type player the trio would be better together stylistically.

Leafs have 2/3rds of a Isles Identity 4th line trio of Matt Martin, Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck and could become something like that with the proper centre.

So Leafs need a scrappy, pesky 4th line centre with grit that is a pain in the butt to play against to complete the Reaves -- Gregor trio. Then it can truly be deployed as an energizer line to change momentum.

Yes, mostly.