Leafs Shake Things Up: Ryan Reaves' Time in Toronto May Be Over After Latest Move
Maple Leafs forward Ryan Reaves may be finished with the team after they decided to place the veteran enforcer on waivers.
It's going to be a frantic 24 hours for NHL GM's to get their rosters in place ahead of the playoffs. We've already seen some blockbusters occur and there are sure to be plenty more by the time 3PM rolls around on March 7.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to be buyers this season, and with several of their trade targets on the move already, time is ticking. So it's a positive sign a potential deal is in the works as the team announced a major roster move on Thursday.
It's a big change for the Maple Leafs and gives them a way to make a trade work in terms of cap and roster space.
Reaves, 38, didn't make much of an impact for the team this season. In 35 games, he has zero goals and two assists while only engaging in one fight in a paltry 7:48 TOI.
Ryan Reaves' Unspectacular Tenure With Toronto
There's no indication of who Toronto may be targeting, although with this latest move it feels like it will only be a matter of when, not if, Toronto makes a move.
It also potentially spells Reaves' end with the team after signing a three-year deal with the Maple Leafs last summer. He was expected to bring a lot of toughness and an intimidation factor, but never really excelled elsewhere.
Stuck on the fourth line, Reaves did fight a bit last year but this season has been a complete wash it feels like. He did manage one fight, but one fight isn't going to mean anything if you can't perform offensively or defensively.
Reaves is making $1.35M which is a gross overpayment for a player who offers a minimal amount of production in any facet of the game. Toronto can very much use that money to add a player who will add some impact to the team.
In his 84 games with Toronto, he only mustered eight points (4G, 4A) and 77 PIM in 7:59 TOI.
His best season came in 2018-19 where he exploded for 20 points (9G, 11A) and played his most minutes ever at 10:52 on average, while playing exceptional defense and adding 305 hits.
If nobody claims Reaves, he will most likely either be sent to the Toronto Marlies or could potentially have his contract terminated much like Jesse Puljujarvi did earlier this season.
All that's for certain is that this seems like the first domino to fall for the Maple Leafs in an incredibly important trade deadline.
