Maple Leafs’ Ryan Reaves suspended five games for hit on Oilers’ Darnell Nurse
One of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ veterans will miss a period of time due to his actions.
On Sunday, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced that forward Ryan Reaves has been suspended for five games for an illegal check to the head on Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse.
Toronto’s Ryan Reaves will have a hearing today for an illegal check to the head against Edmonton’s Darnell Nurse.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) November 17, 2024During the second period of the matchup between the Canadian rivals on Saturday night, Reaves delivered a check to Nurse that caught the blueliner in the head. The nurse was sent spiraling to the ice and had a noticeable cut when the team’s training staff was attending to him.
Ryan Reaves receives a 5-minute match penalty for this hit on Darnell Nurse. pic.twitter.com/hVZN9FJpRY
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 17, 2024The 29-year-old skated off the ice under his own power, but the Oilers later announced that Nurse would not return to the game due to an upper-body injury.
Reaves was immediately handed a five-minute major and match penalty for a check to the head. He will be eligible to return to the lineup on Dec. 4 against the Nashville Predators.
In his 15-year NHL career, Reaves has been suspended three other times. During the second round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs, as a member of the Vegas Golden Knights, Reaves was banned for two games for roughing then-Colorado Avalanche defenseman Ryan Graves. He was also handed a one-game suspension in the 2020 postseason for an illegal hit to the head of Vancouver Canucks forward Tyler Motte. In Feb. 2016, during his time with the St. Louis Blues, Reaves was suspended for three games for boarding Matt Tennyson of the San Jose Sharks.
The former member of the Pittsburgh Penguins has received a pair of fines in his career. In March 2019, he had to pay $2,500 for high-sticking Joe Thornton. In Nov. 2015, Reaves was handed a $3,024 fine for roughing Los Angeles Kings star Anze Kopitar.
Reaves has played in 16 of the Leafs’ 19 games this season. He has registered just one assist in his second season with the club, averaging 8:07 of ice time.
The Leafs (11-6-2) are second in the Atlantic Division, one point back of the Florida Panthers. They are scheduled to face the Golden Knights on Wednesday.