Vegas Golden Knights: Pros and cons to trading away Reaves
Ryan Reaves plays a unique role for the Vegas Golden Knights but he could find himself used as the sacrificial lamb at the Trade Deadline.
It is no secret that the Vegas Golden Knights will be buyers at the Deadline as they look to acquire a puck-moving defenseman and maybe some secondary scoring for down the stretch and for the postseason.
However, with just over $1 million in cap space to play with, the Knights will be restricted in who they can go after in order to bolster this roster.
Therefore, the front office will have to move some contracts first and there are three players that have emerged as prime candidates:
- Nick Holden (D)
- Cody Eakin (F)
- Ryan Reaves (F)
All three are playing on expiring contracts and all three are carrying cap hits that are arguably more substantial than the roles they play.
And the most interesting player of that trio is Ryan Reaves, who has become a cult figure for the Golden Knights since they traded for the enforcer from the Pittsburgh Penguins on Feb. 26, 2018.
Reaves is a hugely popular figure both on and off the ice and he plays a unique role on the ice, while being able to chip in with some offense from the fourth-line.
Trading Reaves would be a necessary evil but the 33-year-old is a dying breed in the National Hockey League, so it would no doubt be a complicated decision for the Knights.
As such, we decided to run through the pros and cons of the Vegas Golden Knights trading Ryan Reaves at the Trade Deadline…
1. Pros to trading Reaves
First and foremost, Ryan Reaves is an expensive commodity for the Vegas Golden Knights, and that point is emphasized when you consider this franchise’s salary cap constraints.
Reaves currently carries a cap hit of $2,775,000 and will become an unrestricted free agent in the summer.
That is a lot of money for a fourth-line grinder, despite the fact that the 33-year-old has been more productive from an offensive standpoint in his two-and-a-bit seasons with the Knights than he had been throughout his career.
Reaves is also arguably the toughest player in the NHL and he’s one of the most entertaining fighters to watch.
However, again, $2,775,000 is a lot of money to be paying for an enforcer and in a hard cap sport, every dollar is crucial.
As such, Reaves becomes expendable given that the Golden Knights have some serious needs to address at the Trade Deadline.
They desperately need a puck-moving defenseman and they could do with some secondary scoring too, but neither will come cheap.
Because he will be a UFA in the summer, moving Reaves at the Deadline makes sense and maybe a bubble team that needs some jam and grit in their lineup would be interested in acquiring one of the best enforcers in the business.
2. Cons to trading Reaves
Toughness isn’t as prevalent in the NHL as it once was, although it still plays a major role as was proved by the St. Louis Blues during their run to the Stanley Cup Championship last year.
You need some grit and jam in your lineup and Ryan Reaves brings both to the table in abundance, while he’s among the best in the business when it comes to dropping the gloves.
Not many players take liberties with the Golden Knights’ biggest stars because, if they do, they know they will have Reaves after them and that can’t be underestimated.
And the 33-year-old is an absolute hitting machine, amassing 305 last year while he has already racked up 249 hits this season.
Reaves just plays with that snarl and edge that is a bit of a dying breed in the modern-day NHL, which is based on speed, skill and a lot of young talent.
But to only class Reaves as a throwback enforcer who runs around hitting players would be unfair, especially if you look at his body of work in Vegas.
He carved out career-highs in goals (nine), assists (11) and points (20) last year, while he has 10 points (six goals, four assists) in 59 games this year.
While not massive numbers, that is still pretty impressive production for a fourth-line enforcer who has a specific role.
Not only that but Reaves is also a huge presence in the locker room and he’s a real leader on this team, as well as a bright personality which is important in a sport that gets consistently overlooked by the national media.
However, and in conclusion, paying $2,775,000 for a bottom-line grinder who logs an average of 9:49 minutes of total ice time per game when there are real clear and glaring needs on this roster, is probably a luxury that the Golden Knights can not afford.
Trading Ryan Reaves would be difficult given the role he plays for this team but, given the aspirations to win a Stanley Cup, both a puck-moving defenseman and secondary scoring are more valuable commodities than a bottom-line bruiser that can fight and chip in with the occasional point.
AHL team in Henderson will be a game-changer. dark. Next
Therefore, if the Vegas Golden Knights were to get a pick or a low-end prospect for Ryan Reaves, it is a trade they would probably pull the trigger on in order to acquire the pieces they crave to bolster this roster down the stretch.