Why the Toronto Maple Leafs Should Stick with Ryan Reaves

As another Toronto Maple Leafs season comes and goes, like clockwork, the team once again finds themselves in another off-season cap crunch.

Despite an additional $4.5 million raise to the upper limit of the salary cap, contract extensions signed by superstars William Nylander and Auston Matthews, the addition of Chris Tanev and the Max Domi extension have left the Toronto Maple Leafs more or less capped out (depending on whether or not Jani Hakanpaa's contract ends up going through).

The Leafs have several candidates to move if they need cap space, and Ryan Reaves is often. mentioned among them.

But I'm a Reaves fan, and I don't think they should get rid of him. Here's why the Leafs shouldn't even consider cutting the veteran.

Why the Toronto Maple Leafs Should Stick with Ryan Reaves

It goes without saying that Ryan Reaves is, unfortunately, not the player he once was.

He's a borderline negative asset in all three zones and was scratched in the playoffs. Combine this with the fact that he gets paid a "rich" $1.3 million for the next two seasons and you have a reasonable complaint: he makes more than the league minimum and he doesn't make the team better when he plays.

However, since Reaves only takes up a microscopic ~1.47% allotment of the salary cap, it's not really hurting the team's ability to sign other players and what Reaves brings to the table is worth that small investment.

He plays eight minutes per night, has hardly an affect on the outcome of games one way or the other, but costs basically nothing and provides a unique skill (his toughness and leadership) that far outweighs what he actually does on the ice.

While the odd mistake may cost a team a goal, the game of hockey and its pace ensure that mistakes are a constant occurrence from minute to minute. A team's ability to capitalize on the other's mistakes is what wins you hockey games. Only averaging a slim 8:07 of ice time a game this year, Ryan Reaves in the grand scheme was rarely given the opportunity to affect games in the slightest, both positively and negatively.

But his precense on the roster and in the dressing room is uniformly positive and compeltely worth the investment of ~1.47% of the salary cap.

Reaves' value lies completely in what he does off the ice. Unsurprisingly, he has become a fan-favourite for not only the hits and punches he throws but the passion evident every second he's on the ice. Reaves gives the team a new identity both on and off the ice, as he remains a constant point of discussion while only costing the team ~1.47% of the salary cap.

Anyone who helps take the pressure off the top performers, let alone for that cheap, is a bargain in my books.