Toronto Maple Leafs: Ryan Reaves Can No Longer Play in the NHL

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed an enforcer in the summer of 2023.

It didn’t take a genius to know it wouldn’t work out, but new Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving wanted to distinguish himself from Kyle Dubas, so he went old-school and signed an enforcer who can’t even play hockey.

Did he wake up one day and think it was 1988?  I mean, I listen to Kick more than most people, but even I know what year it is.

Regardless, there has rarely been a more obvious error, or a more obvious outcome.  

Enforcers are not dressed by most teams for a reason.  36 year-old ones just don’t make any sense.  Rare is the elite player who can play in the NHL at 36.  Ryan Reaves isn’t elite, and he sure can’t handle the NHL anymore.

He is done.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Ryan Reaves Can No Longer Play in the NHL

Ryan Reaves seems like an awesome guy, and I’m sure if he ever meets me I’ll get punched in the face.  But just because someone is an awesome dude doesn’t mean they can play pro hockey.

The idea of an enforcer is outdated and ridiculous.  But let’s just say I’m a loser who doesn’t know hockey and the Toronto Maple Leafs were right to bring in a tough guy.  In that case, they ought to have found one who could actually play.

When Reaves plays, the Leafs only possess the puck for 40% of the time.

They have been out-chanced 25-12 when he’s on the ice.

The dangerous chances, also not in their favor, are 15-5.

Goals are 4-0 for the opposition, and Expected Goals are just 36%. (stats naturalstattrick.com).

I keep hearing a lot of people saying “hey, he’s on the fourth line, he only plays for eight minutes, who cares?”

But these people don’t seem to realize that goals scored against the Leafs when he’s on the ice actually count.

If the fourth line loses 70% of their minutes, that will cost you several games throughout the course of the season.  The NHL is a high-parity league, and most of the time, playoff seeding is going to come down to just a few points.

It is very likely that if the Leafs keep playing Reaves, that they could miss out on the division title, or even the playoffs,  by just a couple points.

Currently, only Lucas Riechel of Chicago (the NHL’s worst team) has worse results in 45 minutes or more.  (His team has been outscored 5-0 with him on the ice, but he has a better Expected Goals rating than Reaves, and he actually has upside).

541 players have played 45 5v5 minutes or more this year in the NHL.  Reaves is ranked 511th by Expected Goals, and he’s playing the most sheltered minutes imaginable.

No amount of protection is worth that. Especially when there is about a zero-percent chance he’ll even dress in the playoffs.

Ryan Reaves is the worst player in the NHL. He’s possibly the worst player the Toronto Maple Leafs have ever dressed.  He needs to be immediately cut.

This may not be a popular take, but he shouldn’t dress in another game this year.