The Toronto Maple Leafs have bolstered their forward lineup this offseason and have a chance to make a strong push for their first Stanley Cup since 1967. With Max Domi returning on a four-year deal, as well as Connor Dewar coming back, on top of their strong defensive additions in Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, the Maple Leafs have made it clear that they want to contend for a championship this season. One player who may find himself on the outside looking in once the season gets underway is enforcer Ryan Reaves, who may be headed for a trade if he can’t find his footing and begin contributing in his depth role in the Maple Leafs’ bottom six this season.
Reaves signed a three-year contract with the Maple Leafs last summer and is now entering the second season of that deal. At 37 years old, Reaves was originally brought in to add a physical side to their lineup many fans around the league believed they didn’t have. With an average annual value of $1.35 million on his deal, there was belief the price was a bit steep for a veteran who is declining and one of few pure enforcers left in the NHL. The Maple Leafs took a chance on him, but the fit hasn’t worked since he joined the team.
Reaves’ Personality Helps Maple Leafs, But Youngsters Could Breakthrough
Reaves has consistently been viewed as one of the most entertaining people in the NHL, as off the ice he has a comedic personality that resonates with fans, and he has always been viewed as someone you would love to have on your team but would hate to play against. Unfortunately for Reaves, his personality and experience in the NHL haven’t been enough to guarantee him a spot in the lineup every night. Last season, Reaves was a healthy scratch and was kept out of the Maple Leafs’ lineup on numerous occasions and it seemed he was being pushed out of the team by the coaching staff. He ended up appearing in 49 games, recording six points.
While Reaves is someone the team can use when they need some physical play, it’s safe to assume he signed with the Maple Leafs because he wanted to play and help contribute toward their goal of winning a Stanley Cup. With Matthew Knies and Bobby McMann breaking out in a big way last season, it pushed Reaves further down the depth chart. Nick Abruzzese, Alex Steeves, and even Nick Robertson will all be looking to take a spot away from Reaves this season out of training camp, and with the way things are trending, I would bank on Reaves being the odd man out and the team’s front office exploring a trade.
Despite Robertson being granted permission to seek a trade, he will likely wind up at Maple Leafs; training camp and try to crack their opening night roster to prove he’s ready for an NHL job elsewhere. While having strong forward depth is never a bad thing for a team, it becomes an issue when someone like Reaves doesn’t want to sit in the press box as his career comes near its end. He may not be able to provide strong offensive production on any given night, but his leadership and physical ability could help a young team going through a rebuild.
With that said, there are a few teams who have the money available to bring Reaves in and give him a slightly increased role. The San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks, and Calgary Flames all come to mind as clubs who could use Reaves in some capacity, but there haven’t been any rumblings of a trade up until this point. At the end of the day, Reaves will have to come to training camp and earn a spot, or he may have another tough season ahead of him.
