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Vegas Golden Knights Reportedly Resign Ryan Reaves

By Richard Cardinale

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 04: Ryan Reaves #75 of the Vegas Golden Knights prepares for the faceoff against the Washington Capitals during the second period in Game Four of the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Capital One Arena on June 4, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 04: Ryan Reaves #75 of the Vegas Golden Knights prepares for the faceoff against the Washington Capitals during the second period in Game Four of the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Capital One Arena on June 4, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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One of the league’s most physical forces is back with the Vegas Golden Knights.

Free Agency is open, and now the Vegas Golden Knights can sign any unrestricted free agent they would like. David Perron is off the board as he goes back to St. Louis for his third stint with the Blues. And with James Neal’s status in limbo, the Golden Knights will have some work to do on July 1st and beyond.

While nothing is made official till 12 PM ET, teams can make handshake agreements. However, fellow UFA Ryan Reaves looks like he’s back in the fold for Vegas. While it hasn’t been confirmed by the team yet, Reaves will remain a Golden Knight for two more years.

The reported deal for Reaves is two years and worth 2.775 million dollars on the Golden Knights cap. Yes, this is an overpayment for a borderline fourth liner in today’s NHL. But Reaves delivers a lot to the table for the Golden Knights.

Reaves is one of those players who’s a rare breed in today’s NHL. The Winnipeg, Manitoba native represents a physical style and plays perfectly on a fourth line role for this club. And with how small in stature the Golden Knights roster is, Reaves brings much-needed size to the lineup.

The 31-year-old is now playing on the richest contract of his career. Lots of fans and media members will be pointing the finger if Reaves doesn’t perform to his fullest potential.  Although, we cant expect a ton out of a player who’s only played a fourth line role for his entire career.

Reaves also likes to throw down the mitts when necessary. He’s one of the few players in the league who hasn’t shied away from fighting. Reaves accumulated 94 PIMS in 79 games played split between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Golden Knights.

Additionally, he notched only four goals, six assists and ten points in 2017-18. Although, Reaves stepped up his game in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs. In ten postseason games played, he scored two crucial goals in the Golden Knights run and made Dustin Byfuglien’s life a living hell in the Western Conference Finals.

Next: Vegas Golden Knights: David Perron “Unlikely To Return”

All in all, this shouldn’t affect the Golden Knights cap in the next two years as they have an abundance of cap space this year and next. Furthermore, this deal is simply a player move to keep the player happy and hopefully go above and beyond expectations. Because if this doesn’t work, Golden Knights general manager George McPhee will have lots of explaining to do.

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