Reaver might be the nicest and coolest dude in the locker room, on the jet, and in the world.

He shouldn't be on the Leafs roster at this stage in his career. He belongs in the AHL, at best.

I'm not a giant Robertson or Holmberg guy, but I'd keep either of them over Reaver.

I think even a meathead like Berube should know that the age of meatheads is over.

It's the NHL.....they (as in NHL coaches, management and players) all believe all kinds of stuff that hasn't been true or accurate for decades.

"Unwritten rules of the game" and "The Code" are still very much alive!
- Cush29

The things I have seen:

- Team physical play emboldens the entire team to play more physical.
- A real fight - not a staged one or a stupid retaliatory one - can spark a team for a few minutes after.
- A goal does go to a team's legs

The things I haven't seen:

- A tough guy being on a team deters the other team from hitting someone


Just observationally, I don't know what Reaves can bring the table if he can't prove that he can keep up, play physical without staging some stupid fights, be a physical presence, use his size to win battles - and not be a defensive liability. For him that's the bare minimum in my mind.

He does pump up the crowd - they love him - but if he's -1 every game, we have traded better players for less.

It's part of why I hate preseason games or the rookie tournament.

Every team has this bumhole goon that knows he has to fight or hurt someone to get noticed.

Sometimes the goons fight between themselves and it's "fine" but there's always the chance a talented player gets hurt for absolutely no reason. Which sucks.

One day they'll end up like the NFL and never dress the star players for these games.
- Scabeh

"In preseason exhibition games, a team may dress a minimum of eight veterans in any game. According to Section 15.4(a), a veteran is a player is any defensemen or forward who played 30 or more games in the previous season, a goaltender who was dressed in 50 or more games or played in 30 or more games in the previous season, a team’s first-round draft pick from the most recent year’s Entry Draft, or a player who has played in 100 or more games in the NHL in their career."

Fun fact: the league instituted this rule after the Habs came to Toronto with absolutely nobody good. Ballard lost his poop, complained, so the Habs reluctantly sent a few more guys on a train to get to Toronto for game time.

Why do I remember this?

I went to the game. I was in junior high school, and baffled why Lafleur wasn't in the lineup.

"In preseason exhibition games, a team may dress a minimum of eight veterans in any game. According to Section 15.4(a), a veteran is a player is any defensemen or forward who played 30 or more games in the previous season, a goaltender who was dressed in 50 or more games or played in 30 or more games in the previous season, a team’s first-round draft pick from the most recent year’s Entry Draft, or a player who has played in 100 or more games in the NHL in their career."

Fun fact: the league instituted this rule after the Habs came to Toronto with absolutely nobody good. Ballard lost his poop, complained, so the Habs reluctantly sent a few more guys on a train to get to Toronto for game time.

Why do I remember this?

I went to the game. I was in junior high school, and baffled why Lafleur wasn't in the lineup.
- Atomic Wedgie

1971/72 season?

Reaver might be the nicest and coolest dude in the locker room, on the jet, and in the world.

He shouldn't be on the Leafs roster at this stage in his career. He belongs in the AHL, at best.

I'm not a giant Robertson or Holmberg guy, but I'd keep either of them over Reaver.

I think even a meathead like Berube should know that the age of meatheads is over.
- GalacticStone

Reaves is signed to an unmovable deal unless somebody else loses their mind.

"In preseason exhibition games, a team may dress a minimum of eight veterans in any game. According to Section 15.4(a), a veteran is a player is any defensemen or forward who played 30 or more games in the previous season, a goaltender who was dressed in 50 or more games or played in 30 or more games in the previous season, a team’s first-round draft pick from the most recent year’s Entry Draft, or a player who has played in 100 or more games in the NHL in their career."

Fun fact: the league instituted this rule after the Habs came to Toronto with absolutely nobody good. Ballard lost his poop, complained, so the Habs reluctantly sent a few more guys on a train to get to Toronto for game time.

Why do I remember this?

I went to the game. I was in junior high school, and baffled why Lafleur wasn't in the lineup.
- Atomic Wedgie

You can send a team with the required amounts of "veteran" without sending any star player.

Reaves is signed to an unmovable deal unless somebody else loses their mind.
- AdamFrench

His actual salary isn't that horrible. Does he have a NTC?

If they kept him until his bonus is paid this season and then traded him, the other team wouldn't be saddled with the worst of it.

But yeah, NTC or not, that contract is awful. No need to double-down on a wrong decision. Bite the bullet, retain salary, give up an asset and shoot him into the Sun.

Just observationally, I don't know what Reaves can bring the table if he can't prove that he can keep up, play physical without staging some stupid fights, be a physical presence, use his size to win battles - and not be a defensive liability. For him that's the bare minimum in my mind.

He does pump up the crowd - they love him - but if he's -1 every game, we have traded better players for less.
- Monkeypunk

I didn't watch more than five minutes of the game last night, but I read somewhere this morning (I'll try to find it) that the fourth line got absolutely caved in. Shots for/against was particularly terrible for all three guys.

His actual salary isn't that horrible. Does he have a NTC?

If they kept him until his bonus is paid this season and then traded him, the other team wouldn't be saddled with the worst of it.

But yeah, NTC or not, that contract is awful. No need to double-down on a wrong decision. Bite the bullet, retain salary, give up an asset and shoot him into the Sun.
- GalacticStone

No NTC, and no bonus structure either.

It's a straight $1.35M X 3 - and good lord, we are only starting season 2.

https://puckpedia.com/player/ryan-reaves

No NTC, and no bonus structure either.

It's a straight $1.35M X 3 - and good lord, we are only starting season 2.

https://puckpedia.com/player/ryan-reaves
- Atomic Wedgie

cheap buyout next summer if needed

cheap buyout next summer if needed
- Symba007

Buyout wouldn't make sense.

The cap hit would be larger than sending him to the minors.

If Pacioretty wins a job, then you probably are trading away Robertson or Holmberg (they play different roles, but they are the bubble forwards here) - and depending on what the expected contract is, it could affect that balance. The room they have right now says that if MaxPac earns a contract, it can't exceed $900k and Nick Robertson is gone - or $830k and Holmberg is.

Now do I think it should be Reaves on the Marlies? Yes. I 100% do. But I have no faith in the correct decision being made this time around either.

If Timmins were simply healthy and just played the way he does, I'd be moving Liljegren - but as I said above, I do like what Timmins offers more than most people.

In that mix . . . I don't know the extent of Lorentz's injury, but his size is something I'd bet both Treliving and Berube would want as a 4th line option. He isn't better than Kampf defensively - but he hits a lot of people and would be impactful on this team.
- Monkeypunk

Trade Mitch’s favourite player in the league? Yeah I could see it with Patches and Nickie R both staying.

Reaves is signed to an unmovable deal unless somebody else loses their mind.
- AdamFrench

It's bizarre that a $1.35M contract is considered "unmovable", yet here we are.

It's bizarre that a $1.35M contract is considered "unmovable", yet here we are.
- Atomic Wedgie

Yep. Imagine if he retired

It's bizarre that a $1.35M contract is considered "unmovable", yet here we are.
- Atomic Wedgie

Agreed.

I mean it's far from the biggest reason the Leafs will or won't have success this year but it's an easy target I suppose.

And I'm not saying Reaves contributions = his salary nor that he is an essential part of this team but I do find it pretty amusing (but not surprising at all) that I hadn't heard a peep from anyone (fans of ANY team) saying Reaves was washed up etc. until he became a Leaf.

Suddenly the minute he signed in Toronto, before he had played a game it was an overpay, he was washed up etc.

Sadly his play last year didn't do a great job of disproving that theory, let's hope this year is better.

Agreed.

I mean it's far from the biggest reason the Leafs will or won't have success this year but it's an easy target I suppose.

And I'm not saying Reaves contributions = his salary nor that he is an essential part of this team but I do find it pretty amusing (but not surprising at all) that I hadn't heard a peep from anyone (fans of ANY team) saying Reaves was washed up etc. until he became a Leaf.

Suddenly the minute he signed in Toronto, before he had played a game it was an overpay, he was washed up etc.

Sadly his play last year didn't do a great job of disproving that theory, let's hope this year is better.
- Cush29

He had moments where his line was effective, when he was playing with Holmberg and Kampf.

Got off to a horrendous start though. Can we meet somewhere in the middle?

Just go out and play an honest 4th line shift, ~8 mins a game, and he's fine.

He had moments where his line was effective, when he was playing with Holmberg and Kampf.

Got off to a horrendous start though. Can we meet somewhere in the middle?

Just go out and play an honest 4th line shift, ~8 mins a game, and he's fine.
- gravyface

They both have major flaws, but if it comes down to Robertson or Reaves, it's going to be a franking crime if they go with Reaves.

There's a possibility that Robertson can get better.

There's a guarantee that Reaves is only going to get worse. Probably quickly.

They both have major flaws, but if it comes down to Robertson or Reaves, it's going to be a franking crime if they go with Reaves.

There's a possibility that Robertson can get better.

There's a guarantee that Reaves is only going to get worse. Probably quickly.
- Atomic Wedgie

It’s not Reaves or Robertson though.

It’s Robertson and a 200K cap penalty or Reaves and a draft pick that Robertson gets in a trade..

It’s not Reaves or Robertson though.

It’s Robertson and a 200K cap penalty or Reaves and a draft pick that Robertson gets in a trade..
- Santo_44

That’s easy: Robertson. Either way, Nickie isn’t competing with Reaves for a spot. He’s competing with Patches and Holmberg

It’s not Reaves or Robertson though.

It’s Robertson and a 200K cap penalty or Reaves and a draft pick that Robertson gets in a trade..
- Santo_44

If they go with Reaves, it's a $1.35M cap hit.

If they go with Robertson, it's his $875,000 cap hit + $200,000 Reaves cap hit, for a grand total of $1.075M cap hit.

So more cap room if they go with Robertson.

I sincerely doubt you get more than a 3rd rounder for Robertson - but who knows.

If they go with Reaves, it's a $1.35M cap hit.

If they go with Robertson, it's his $875,000 cap hit + $200,000 Reaves cap hit, for a grand total of $1.075M cap hit.

So more cap room if they go with Robertson.

I sincerely doubt you get more than a 3rd rounder for Robertson - but who knows.
- Atomic Wedgie

Friedman said at the TDL that they were offered a 2nd round pick from a few teams.

Yeah I’d much rather have that than Robertson right now.

Agreed.

I mean it's far from the biggest reason the Leafs will or won't have success this year but it's an easy target I suppose.

And I'm not saying Reaves contributions = his salary nor that he is an essential part of this team but I do find it pretty amusing (but not surprising at all) that I hadn't heard a peep from anyone (fans of ANY team) saying Reaves was washed up etc. until he became a Leaf.

Suddenly the minute he signed in Toronto, before he had played a game it was an overpay, he was washed up etc.

Sadly his play last year didn't do a great job of disproving that theory, let's hope this year is better.
- Cush29

Ask Rangers and Wild fans....especially Rangers fans.

If they go with Reaves, it's a $1.35M cap hit.

If they go with Robertson, it's his $875,000 cap hit + $200,000 Reaves cap hit, for a grand total of $1.075M cap hit.

So more cap room if they go with Robertson.

I sincerely doubt you get more than a 3rd rounder for Robertson - but who knows.
- Atomic Wedgie

Keep Robertson for a 4th line role? The top two lines are practically finalized and the third is likely going to be JT, Pacioretty, and McMann. So screw Robertson and trade him before misusing the little midget. He’s nowhere near the size to play Berube’s game and it’s already showing.

Trade Robertson for nothing since he’s not his brother, dump Reaves to the minors and stick with Grebenkin on a 4th line role.

Agreed.

I mean it's far from the biggest reason the Leafs will or won't have success this year but it's an easy target I suppose.

And I'm not saying Reaves contributions = his salary nor that he is an essential part of this team but I do find it pretty amusing (but not surprising at all) that I hadn't heard a peep from anyone (fans of ANY team) saying Reaves was washed up etc. until he became a Leaf.

Suddenly the minute he signed in Toronto, before he had played a game it was an overpay, he was washed up etc.

Sadly his play last year didn't do a great job of disproving that theory, let's hope this year is better.
- Cush29

Father time has a way of bumrushing you suddenly. I felt 19 well into my 40's. I didn't understand the whole spiel about being over the hill at 40, until suddenly it hit me right about age 43. It was like I aged ten years in one year. I'm not a professional athlete obviously, but the same thing happens to almost all players eventually. They are good until they aren't. For some, the decline might be gradual and others it might seem quite sudden.

Reaves has been pretty consistent at not scoring. The only time he ever broke double digit goals was in the WHL. His best offensive year was in Vegas in 2018-2019 where he played 80 games for 20 points and 9 goals. Not terrible for a murder pylon because he had a bit more foot speed then.

The next year he played 71 games, 15 points, and 8 goals.

Since then, he has not played more than 69 games, although he did get 15 points in 61 games for the Wild in 2022-2023. So, not terrible there either.

The issue is, he is obviously slower than he was in Vegas. And he's likely slower than he was in Minnesota. Last year, he got 6 points in 49 games.

Is he washed? Probably. He's 37 and Father Time is rubbing his hands together.

You don't have guys like him to score or put up points, but it certainly helps. If he can't help on the scoreboard, then he needs to be defensively responsible and be able to keep up with the pace of play. He also needs to better than cheap youngsters in the pipeline. As for the old-school idea of deterrence to other players taking liberties. I like the idea of it, but I'm also a dinosaur whose tastes in that regard don't reflect the modern realities of the game.

If I am the GM, and I have decide between keeping Reaves or Robertson, or Holmberg, or Yarncock, then I'm telling Reaves to pack his poop and put his house up for sale.