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

[MAB1]

Here's how it will actually work...

Option 1: Bennet runs over a Leaf. Reaves fights some 4th line goon. Florida continues to do whatever they want for the rest of the game and season.
Option 2: Bennet runs over a Leaf. Keefe moves Reaves up to play against Bennet. Florida scores because Reaves sucks, and couldn't even handle 4th line minutes in his prime, let alone more than that in his late 30s. Reaves forces a fight with Bennet. Leafs get a penalty. Florida scores again. Leafs get a suspension, and Florida continues to do whatever they want for the rest of the game and season.

You constantly expose that you have never played hockey in your life with posts like these.

 

[the Mighty Oak]

Do you expect him to play in the top 9? That would be horrendous.

If he's on the 4th with somebody like Kampf/Holmberg he would be like Acciari without the speed and scoring ability.

Calling somebody a Dubas fan boy because I don't like adding a useless facepuncher is funny. I'm all for adding one, but it needs to be somebody who can play higher in the lineup and actually do some damage.


Why didn't we do that with Simmonds/Clifford/Martin/etc.. in the past?

They did.... Can you name a team that continuously targeted the big three game after game?

I played for that team in your profile. we had a goalie who disliked a defenseman So this goalie would start slashing the other teams forward. That was in front of the net. and causing that defenseman to get into fights. That defenseman used to get pissed at the goalie.

 

[Dekes For Days]

You constantly expose that you have never played hockey in your life with posts like these.

Not only not true, but irrelevant. This is NHL hockey. This isn't your beer league. Players like Bennet will do whatever they want. They're not scared of a fight. They'll laugh and score on your team as a late 30s guy desperately tries to chase them around the ice with a growly face.
The options I posted are the only two possible outcomes here. Anything else is an unrealistic fantasy.

 

[Hockeysawks]

Yup this. Ok our 4th line will goon it up with another teams 4th line we've literally had that. We did that against Tampa with Clifford and Simmonds and it didn't work we just took penalties.

We need toughness that plays WITH our stars. Not this bullshit.

He is not going to goon it up against other fourth liners he is going to sit on the bench and kick the crap out of anyone that looks at Marner or Mathews funny.
This guy is being brought in to send a message and save the top guys from a bunch of bullshit all year long.

 

[JKG33]

Schenn and ROR are gunna walk, but it's ok because they got Ryan Reaves.

This team is a meme of itself holy shit

 

[Raging Bull]

They need to be afraid to come off the ice after floating for a shift and to be held accountable every shift.

Yeah that will go over well with the star players, having a guy who can barely skate ripping them.

 

[GoonieFace]

If he makes a million or so a year who really cares. If he occasionally busts some heads and helps in the locker room, it’s a win. The outrage is misguided once again from the real problem with this team

 

[the Mighty Oak]

Yeah that will go over well with the star players, having a guy who can barely skate ripping them.

All he has to do is give 150% every shift and earn the respect of the other players. and he can say what he wants.

 

[Shooter2x]

Get a guy who can play top 9 minutes then. Having Reaves on the 4th line doesn't protect/help the top 2 be more effective.

This is Matt Martin 2.0 with an older, slower version.

These guys don't grow on trees. Top 9 minutes AND you make the Matthews of the leagues feel safe is 5 mil minimum(or premium assets for a younger cheaper cap hit).

This was a good signing if my theory in my post is true. If it doesn't work out the way they plan it to then just find a way to reduce / get rid of the cap hit. It's small.

 

[LeafGrief]

We only have 1 year where things will be tight. Tavares 11M comes off the books after that. Even next offseason there will be some flexibility. You could easily fit a Crouse or somebody similar into the lineup.

We are going to be tight against the cap for the next 10 years. JT coming off the books will allow us to get a replacement and one solid 2nd line/pairing player and we're right back up against it. We've been ludicrously tight to the cap all this time and that isn't going to change so long as we're committed to our stars as a priority over depth.

 

[justashadowof]

How’d it go with Martin, Clifford, Simmonds, or Schenn?

One guy doesn’t do shit. You need toughness that can actually play, throughout the lineup.

You know why a guy like Bennett is hard to play against? Because he’s running against your top six all night and he’s putting the puck in the net.

This is the truth about skilled physical types. There isn't really a perfect counter move other than having your top six toughen themselves up and sourcing some rare top six guy with the same aggressive tendencies. A Schenn does more against this stuff than a 4th liner because he'll actually find himself on the ice at times against those guys. 4th line tough guys engage with other 4th line tough guys, run defensemen, create a little bit of havoc but pretty much do the opposite to quieting the temperature of a game and keeping the stars unharmed. But they can make the games more interesting.

 

[PromisedLand]

Reaves is 36 ffs.

Don’t do it Treliving. This is stupid.

 

[Nineteen67]

Imagine Reaves lifting the cup as a Leaf. Would be amazing!

I see him as a good fit during the two year transition/rebuild. If they become playoff competitive I doubt he’ll be around.

 

[LeafGrief]

Schenn and ROR are gunna walk, but it's ok because they got Ryan Reaves.

This team is a meme of itself holy shit

ROR was always going to walk, he never seriously entertained sticking around with this gutless team. Not to mention we don't have anywhere near the cap space to pay the money he's going to demand and the 400k more Reaves makes over whichever Marlie people have penciled in won't even begin to make a dent.

 

[Shooter2x]

How’d it go with Martin, Clifford, Simmonds, or Schenn?

One guy doesn’t do shit. You need toughness that can actually play, throughout the lineup.

You know why a guy like Bennett is hard to play against? Because he’s running against your top six all night and he’s putting the puck in the net.

The 4 guys you single out have almost zero impact on why our build was flawed. The team we desire can accomodate all 4 of those names. Explain why a Bennett can't be added on top of a Martin?

Seems the problem was management believed "one guy can do shit" and said meh, we have Martin, we don't need a Bennett. That doesn't mean it was stupid to have Martin on the team.


Edit: Not all 4 on the team at once lol

 

[JKG33]

ROR was always going to walk, he never seriously entertained sticking around with this gutless team. Not to mention we don't have anywhere near the cap space to pay the money he's going to demand and the 400k more Reaves makes over whichever Marlie people have penciled in won't even begin to make a dent.

No, but what I'm worried about is they bring back the same loser group, sign matthews to a grotesque extension, and bring in Reaves to say "look Toronto, we fixed team toughness"

 

[DarkKnight]

One large pizza with double WTF please and a side of Valium.

 

[leafs in five]

oh well

 

[the Mighty Oak]

Reaves is 36 ffs.

Don’t do it Treliving. This is stupid.

He's coming here for intimidation. hitting, fighting, Protection and whatever else he's got going on.

 

[Nineteen67]

How’d it go with Martin, Clifford, Simmonds, or Schenn?

One guy doesn’t do shit. You need toughness that can actually play, throughout the lineup.

You know why a guy like Bennett is hard to play against? Because he’s running against your top six all night and he’s putting the puck in the net.

One would assume they're going to rebuild the roster and add those type of players, but it‘ll take time .

 

[Shooter2x]

No, but what I'm worried about is they bring back the same loser group, sign matthews to a grotesque extension, and bring in Reaves to say "look Toronto, we fixed team toughness"

It's just July 1st man. You guys have no proof it's going to be the same 1-man toughness army. Gotta start somewhere, we chose the easiest low level 4th line spot first it seems.

 

[tuckerintensity]

This is the bleakest offseason I can remember. There's zero reason for optimism right now.

I completely agree with everything you said, the only optimism I have is that we're a very good team that could get over the hump regardless of having this bloke or not.

I still don't like it though. Terrible way to spend 1.3 a year.

 

[CelticDruid]

Sounds like Kerfoot is heading to Free agency.

 

[PromisedLand]

He's coming here for intimidation. hitting, fighting, Protection and whatever else he's got going on.

For league minimum fine but anything more and multiple years is not cool. He is already 36

I’d target Tom Wilson if we have to go that route. Caps are kinda restocking anyway, they may be convinced to do that for us

 

[notbias]

Is everyone still happy with Treliving?

I predict he will not be a fan favorite.