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

[MarnerElite]

Well I thought the denial went a lot deeper than what you're referring to.

We still have a top heavy team taking up most of the cap. Reaves presence and Lafferty's absence is such a small thing compared to...oh say Nylander as an own rental or extending Nylander making the cap squeeze even worse.

At the end of the day are MM, JT, WN, and AM going to show up for the playoffs? Can we go deeper than 1 round?

Are you in on the 3rd line or are you in denial of that too?

JT is a HUGE problem(mostly what he brings compared to his salary) but this teams problems aren't Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews or Willy Nylander...There are probably 4 or 5 other players in the league who are better(and i mean overall not just in one specific stat). Trading any of these will get you a loss any way you look at it.

This team's main issue is that we have too many passengers who don't do much in either end and possibly goaltending too(we'll see how Samsonov and Woll do). Both Mitch and Matthews are quite good in their own end...I mostly don't like how JT, Willy(he's ok at times), few other forwards and several defenders play d.

We always say how we need a puck retriever for the first line but we still are looking for one...Maybe Bertuzzi will settle and be good but i won't hold my breath...This is a HUGE deal btw...If you don't have 3 guys who are on the same page(both going forward and on d) you won't be winning much(talking playoffs here)...and yet we'll just blame Marner or Matthews who will finish their careers as best Leafs of all time. People have zero clue how difficult that is to achieve. No one or two players, no matter how amazing they are(just look at McDavid and Drai in Edmonton) will win the Cup without the rest being balanced properly...Oilers will never get there with that group and they are top heavy too...But it's not Drai and McDavid that are the issue. Their goaltending and d are similar to ours...Just not good enough.

They should honestly just use Knies on that top line...He works his ass of on both ends and does Bertuzzi's job(puck retrieval) way better. It just makes sense but try to figure out how Keefe's brain works(he never allows enough time to see if guys can get some chemistry...after few games it's experiment done). Weird...But anyways...

 

[DarkKnight]

They all play a role

Bad pinch by Kling, bad read by Willy. Kampf loses the puck retrieval in the corner, Kiling goes for a skate. Reaves works hard to get back, but doesnt take a lane to distrupt hes puck chasing on a bad angle. McCabe needs to close the gap on the scorer once he has support.

Any one of those making a better play stops the goal

Bull, he has zero to do with it. Sheesh, this is ridiuclous. I’m out.

 

[Da Mash]

Because in a team sport, sometimes one or two guys can change how a team evolves and reacts. The Leafs don't need more talent at this stage. They have plenty of talent. What they needed, and what Reaves provides, is a leader. Now, this leads to the obvious comment about what is says about the existing leadership on the team, and that is the issue. The team didn't have a leader before Reaves. It isn't Tavares, Matthews or Marner. Those guys are incredible offensively, but they clearly needed a different voice. That is the purpose that Reaves serves.

Did that work with guys like Thornton, Marleau, Foligno? O’Reily? Schenn? Gio?

I thought Reilly was thought as a leader? Taveres was never accused of never being one for the Islanders.

Personally I think we are looking in the wrong areas. We don’t need aging players that can’t skate and IMHO in todays regular season we don’t need a enforcer who eats 8-10 mins that has no hockey IQ ..provides no offence and comes out of the game a minus player.

I didn’t see the Habs or Minny be intimidated …in fact Minny guy didn’t even take his shield to fight and they are friends

Even last night Perry can yap with his friend Reeves but at least Perry scored…and Reeves ended the game again a minus player

 

[Hellcat]

Bull, he has zero to do with it. Sheesh, this is ridiuclous. I’m out.

Agreed on that goal he had zero to do with it, the defenders got crossed up.

What have we learned? In the games Reaves fights we are 2-0, in in the games he does not fight we are 0-1... hmmmmmm I'm no mathmagician ....

 

[notbias]

Agreed on that goal he had zero to do with it, the defenders got crossed up.

What have we learned? In the games Reaves fights we are 2-0, in in the games he does not fight we are 0-1... hmmmmmm I'm no mathmagician ....

It is cause it takes him off the ice for 5 mins, we instantly become more effective.

 

[Evilhomer]

Did that work with guys like Thornton, Marleau, Foligno? O’Reily? Schenn? Gio?

I thought Reilly was thought as a leader? Taveres was never accused of never being one for the Islanders.

Personally I think we are looking in the wrong areas. We don’t need aging players that can’t skate and IMHO in todays regular season we don’t need a enforcer who eats 8-10 mins that has no hockey IQ ..provides no offence and comes out of the game a minus player.

I didn’t see the Habs or Minny be intimidated …in fact Minny guy didn’t even take his shield to fight and they are friends

Even last night Perry can yap with his friend Reeves but at least Perry scored…and Reeves ended the game again a minus player

None of those guys you mentioned are known as vocal leaders (as an aside, one of the main criticisms Islanders fans had of Tavares when he was there was his personality). That is what Reaves provides. It comes at a low cost in terms of salary, and for better or worse you also have to accept some of his limitations on the ice. Reaves will never cost the Leafs a game, especially a playoff game, because he won't get enough minutes to be that much of a detriment. People complaining about him are barking up the wrong tree.

 

[Hellcat]

It is cause it takes him off the ice for 5 mins, we instantly become more effective.

I know you are being cheeky but he's off the ice and equal amount of time with or with out the 5 min PIM.

 

[notbias]

None of those guys you mentioned are known as vocal leaders (as an aside, one of the main criticisms Islanders fans had of Tavares when he was there was his personality). That is what Reaves provides. It comes at a low cost in terms of salary, and for better or worse you also have to accept some of his limitations on the ice. Reaves will never cost the Leafs a game, especially a playoff game, because he won't get enough minutes to be that much of a detriment. People complaining about him are barking up the wrong tree.

Reaves has been on the ice for 3 GA and 0 GF... not sure how you can say he won't cost you games... At what TOI can a player cost you games?

 

[Evilhomer]

Reaves has been on the ice for 3 GA and 0 GF... not sure how you can say he won't cost you games... At what TOI can a player cost you games?

I think it's a bit misleading to suggest that he has cost the team any games to this point, considering they have only lost one game and he wasn't remotely the problem against Chicago.

 

[notbias]

I think it's a bit misleading to suggest that he has cost the team any games to this point, considering they have only lost one game and he wasn't remotely the problem against Chicago.

He has had a negative impact on the ice overall... he won't always cost them games and he may win them some, but I think overall he will cost more than he wins.

 

[ACC1224]

I think it's a bit misleading to suggest that he has cost the team any games to this point, considering they have only lost one game and he wasn't remotely the problem against Chicago.

Some seem to think he's the only player on the ice when those goals are scored. It has always been debatable though if some actually watch the games and understand what they are seeing.

 

[Fogelhund]

Reaves has been on the ice for 3 GA and 0 GF... not sure how you can say he won't cost you games... At what TOI can a player cost you games?

I'm not a fan of the signing, and think he's pretty useless... though he's also entertaining and that has it's merits. He's not going to see the ice much, when games are on the line

 

[Apex Predator]

I love how posters say plus minus is not a good stat unless they use it to back up their argument then it’s a good stat. You can’t have it both ways.

 

[ACC1224]

I love how posters say plus minus is not a good stat unless they use it to back up their argument then it’s a good stat. You can’t have it both ways.

It's a fine stat when used in context. People tend to forget there are 5 other guys on the ice, not everything is just one guys fault.

 

[Gary Nylund]

He has had a negative impact on the ice overall... he won't always cost them games and he may win them some, but I think overall he will cost more than he wins.

For sure. I mean when Brodie tripped and fell leading to a goal against, that was so obviously the fault of Reaves.

 

[MarnerElite]

None of those guys you mentioned are known as vocal leaders (as an aside, one of the main criticisms Islanders fans had of Tavares when he was there was his personality). That is what Reaves provides. It comes at a low cost in terms of salary, and for better or worse you also have to accept some of his limitations on the ice. Reaves will never cost the Leafs a game, especially a playoff game, because he won't get enough minutes to be that much of a detriment. People complaining about him are barking up the wrong tree.

I don't think he is the main problem but what most might be saying is that he ADDS to the problems this team already has...and i do think that's spot on. We usually agree on here that your 4th line, even in limited minutes should not be a liability(should be able to play good defensively or get in the other team's zone and cycle for a bit)..If they can't do that then they will just add to already bad team d that we have.

 

[notbias]

For sure. I mean when Brodie tripped and fell leading to a goal against, that was so obviously the fault of Reaves.

No, it wasn't but as far as play driving, his line has been terrible... focus on the one instance though.

 

[Evilhomer]

I don't think he is the main problem but what most might be saying is that he ADDS to the problems this team already has...and i do think that's spot on. We usually agree on here that your 4th line, even in limited minutes should not be a liability(should be able to play good defensively or get in the other team's zone and cycle for a bit)..If they can't do that then they will just add to already bad team d that we have.

I think it's fine to criticize Reaves for his on-ice performance when it is warranted. As I've said, you have to take some of the bad on the ice to get the good he provides off the ice. In the end, I think the positives will heavily outweigh the negatives.

 

[The Iceman]

Early factoids from Reaves very short 3 game Leaf career

He drew an instigator game 1 after a big hit = PP Leafs
1000% should have drawn another instigator against Foligno after a thunderous hit to a Minny player

I fortunately didn't watch last night but that is what should have been 2 instigator penalties in 3 games.
Every 4 PPs statistically should = 1 goal

Matthews turn to give out the Leaf player of the game belt after the Minny game. Players are yelling "keep it" after his second hat trick.

Matthews said NO, the belt is going to Reav-O and went on to talk about how his hit and fight got the team going.
Reaves has value to the stars in the room beyond his Corsi on ice.

 

[RunItBackAgain]

For sure. I mean when Brodie tripped and fell leading to a goal against, that was so obviously the fault of Reaves.

No, it was obviously Samsonov's fault

 

[Fogelhund]

54 pages of discussing the merits of a guy who plays 8 minutes a game.

 

[Gary Nylund]

No, it wasn't but as far as play driving, his line has been terrible... focus on the one instance though.

Just trying to show you how useless a stat +- is, especially over such an absurdly small sample size. You stick to your narrative though.

 

[MarnerElite]

I think it's fine to criticize Reaves for his on-ice performance when it is warranted. As I've said, you have to take some of the bad on the ice to get the good he provides off the ice. In the end, I think the positives will heavily outweigh the negatives.

I sure hope so but there's no way that you can know he'll surely bring any positives(and i mean long term not just first 3-10 games). But let's hope for the best because this can turn very ugly.

 

[Apex Predator]

I sure hope so but there's no way that you can know he'll surely bring any positives(and i mean long term not just first 3-10 games). But let's hope for the best because this can turn very ugly.

How can this turn very ugly? He makes 1.3 million and you can bury a lot of it. We’re not taking like the jets with Schiefelle and Hellebuyk where those contracts can turn very ugly.

 

[Evilhomer]

How can this turn very ugly? He makes 1.3 million and you can bury a lot of it. We’re not taking like the jets with Schiefelle and Hellebuyk where those contracts can turn very ugly.

There is nowhere for those contracts to turn. They are already extremely ugly. Terrible, terrible deals for that team.