With Toronto on a back-to-back Tuesday in New Jersey, Ryan Reaves will be replaced by Nick Robertson in the Maple Leafs' lineup. The 37-year-old bruiser has struggled to produce this season while averaging only 8:04 TOI/GP, with his three goals, five points, 49 PIMs and -14 plus/minus through 46 games played.
Reaves suffered an eye injury in a fight against Nicolas Deslauries of the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday and did not complete the game after registering only 43 seconds of ice time. Reaves is averaging four hits per game over his last nine contests and has three fighting majors over that span. Noah Gregor will take his place in Toronto's lineup.
Reaves suffered an undisclosed injury in a fight against Nicolas Deslauries of the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday and did not complete the game after registering only 43 seconds of ice time. Reaves is averaging four hits per game over his last nine contests and has three fighting majors over that span.
Reaves will take the place of Noah Gregor as the Leafs opt to get fresh legs in their lineup for the tail-end of their back-to-back. Reaves has two goals and no assists in 28 games this season.
Noah Gregor will draw back into the lineup on Wednesday, making Reaves a healthy scratch for the second time in the last four games. Reaves has one goal and 24 hits in his last seven games.
Reaves has played five straight games, recording one goal and 15 hits, after being a healthy scratch for most of the previous two months. He will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, indicating that one or both of Mitch Marner and John Tavares will likely return to the lineup from illness.
Reaves has been on the Injured Reserve since December 14th and made some news this passed week after stating he had been healthy for weeks despite being on the IR. The 37-year-old veteran winger is in the first year of a three-year, $4.05 million contract signed in the offseason and has a goal and no assists in 21 games played so far this season.
Reaves has been in and out of the lineup lately, playing only two of the last six games for the Maple Leafs, and will return to the press box on Thursday as a healthy scratch in their contest against the Seattle Kraken. Reaves has one point (1G / 0A), 32 hits, and a -10 plus/minus through 16 games and will be replaced in the lineup by Bobby McMann.
Reaves was a healthy scratch on Saturday after scoring his first goal of the season the night before but is expected to return to the Maple Leafs lineup on Tuesday against the Florida Panthers. He is expected to play on the fourth line with David Kampf and Noah Gregor. Reaves' greatest attribute has always been his high-volume hitting, but this season, he is averaging only 2.00 hits per game, the lowest total of his career.
Reaves was signed to a three-year, $4.05 million contract ($1,350,000 AAV) in the offseason and will be a healthy scratch Friday vs. Detroit in Sweden for the Global Series. It has been a disappoint 14 inaugural games with Toronto for the bruising winger, who has yet to pick up a point, has only six SOG, 12 PIMs and a -11 plus/minus.
Reaves has played all 13 games for the Maple Leafs, going without a point, and racking up a -9 plus/minus rating while averaging 7:46 time-on-ice. Reaves joins John Klingberg as high-profile offseason signings that are expected to be healthy scratches on Friday. The Maple Leafs recalled Pontus Holmberg from the Marlies (AHL), who will be a possibility to slot into the lineup.
Reaves is the most feared grinder in the NHL, who finished with 15 points (5G / 10A) with 43 PIMS and 196 hits in 73 games with the Rangers and Wild last season. Reaves will skate on the Maple Leafs fourth line and will skate under 10 minutes per game.
