The Toronto Maple Leafs are in the middle of a salary cap crunch. The Original Six franchise is trying to perform a balancing act of satisfying many angry parties. That includes one of their "Core Four," Mitch Marner, and their young winger, Nick Robertson. If you're a Leafs fan, this is how you're feeling.
With this issue, fans are looking at who could be expendable for the team. Could it be John Tavares, an $11 million cap hit in the last year of his current deal? What about former Vegas Golden Knights enforcer, Ryan Reaves? He has two years left on his current contract and is a salary cap hit of $1.35 million annually. It's tough being the legendary franchise looking to finally bring home its first Stanley Cup since 1967.
Some Vegas Golden Knights fans would love a reunion with their favorite brawler. Why not pair him with Keegan Kolesar again and make him the fighter? He'd be a better contrast to Kolesar, who relies on checking opponents and adding fourth-line offense. While reunions sound good on the surface (nostalgia is an appealing moneymaker, after all), acquiring Reaves doesn't make much sense.
What reasons do the Vegas Golden Knights have for passing up on Ryan Reaves?
Toronto Maple Leafs fans were impressed when Reaves took on New York Rangers player, Matt Rempe, in a hockey game. He stood his ground and scrapped with the infamous fighter, swinging and landing numerous hard blows. Fans stood in awe as he won his fight, showing how he still has it. However, that's all he can offer the Vegas Golden Knights.
Aside from hitting opponents mercilessly and making Vegas more physical in the bottom six, he doesn't bring much to the table. He's 37 years old and probably won't see another deal come his way after his current Maple Leafs contract expires. His offensive returns have diminished, leaving him obsolete on a Toronto team looking to break a multi-generational curse.
Besides, Kolesar has the same role on the Golden Knights and adds scoring to the bottom line. He can hit opponents without mercy and is a younger player (27 years old) with a more level head. He doesn't have the mileage that Reaves does as a player, making him more valuable in his role. It's easier to use your body defensively when you're not at a specific age, for you can take more hits and pucks.
Reaves has a purpose on the Toronto Maple Leafs
While he might be the low-hanging fruit on his current team, Ryan Reaves already serves a purpose with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The franchise was third in the NHL last season in hits with 2,281. Reaves was an essential part of that number, contributing 163 hits. Yes, he'll add a hard-hitting element to Bruce Cassidy's defense. However, Kelly McCrimmon prefers younger players who are value-based pickups.
Take Alexander Holtz as a prime example. The 22-year-old was acquired by the Vegas Golden Knights this summer to get more production and youth on the wing. Holtz left a dicey situation in New Jersey where the Devils lost confidence in the young forward. They had a surplus of offensive players, including Nico Hischier, Luke Hughes, and Dawson Mercer. Therefore, McCrimmon was willing to take a risk and put him in as a bottom six goal-scorer from the slot.
As fun as nostalgia trips are (especially for 30-something fans of any background), they can impede the progress of a team's success. It's why McCrimmon didn't budge on giving Jonathan Marchessault a five-year deal, for the former Conn Smythe winner would've been 39 once his contract expired. That's the same deal for Ryan Reaves, who would hinder the salary cap-squeezed Golden Knights ($3,639,983 over the salary cap). Vegas should focus on winning another Stanley Cup or wait for a better deal now.