Maple Leafs’ Ryan Reaves on Blackhawks’ Corey Perry: ‘I never really liked him. He’s not tough’
It’s safe to say that Chicago Blackhawks’ forward Corey Perry hasn’t made any friends with the Toronto Maple Leafs after last Monday’s game between the two teams.
Maple Leafs’ forward Ryan Reaves made headlines on Wednesday after telling Sportsnet’s Luke Fox what he really thinks of the 2010-11 Hart Trophy winner.
Reaves on Perry: “I never really liked him, to be honest. We always seem to run into each other and we play against each other, but not a lot of love for that guy… Just the way he runs his mouth, I don’t know. He kind of acts tough. He’s not tough.” https://t.co/cSnAj4TynP
— luke fox (@lukefoxjukebox) October 18, 2023
“I never really liked him, to be honest. We always seem to run into each other and we play against each other, but not a lot of love for that guy,” said Reaves. “Just the way he runs his mouth, I don’t know. He kind of acts tough. He’s not tough.”
Reaves and Perry were chirping each other towards the end of the first period in Monday’s game. Perry had the last laugh, scoring his first of the season and the game-winning goal on a breakaway, with the Blackhawks eventually winning 4-1.
It’s not the first time the two players have yapped at each other from the benches. In March 2022, the two went at it while Perry played for the Tampa Bay Lightning and Reaves dressed for the New York Rangers.
The two teams face off again on Nov. 24 in Chicago.
In 1261 career NHL games, Perry has 418 goals, 469 assists, 887 points and 1382 penalty minutes. He has two Olympic gold medals (2010 and 2014), a Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks in 2006-2007, and once made three consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearances with three different teams (Dallas Stars in 2019-20, the Montreal Canadiens in 2020-21 and the Lightning in 2021-22). He also won the Hart Memorial Trophy and Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy in 2010-11.
In 831 career NHL games, Reaves has 59 goals and 70 assists for 129 points and 1033 penalty minutes.