Photo credit: Mar 2, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ryan Reaves (75) lands a punch as he fights with New York Rangers forward Matt Rempe (73) in the third period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
NEW YORK — Ryan Reaves will draw into the Toronto Maple Leafs lineup when they visit the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Friday.
Reaves will replace Alex Steeves on the fourth line right wing, and it will be the only change at the forward position and Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube didn't shy away from explaining the decision.
"Well, I think (Matt)Rempe over there, obviously. He's an effective player, in my opinion," Berube said. "He's physical, he's a hard guy to handle. So, I just wanted to get Reavo in there."
Reaces and Rempe were involved one year ago when the Maple Leafs and Rangers met at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto last season.
Berube watched that fight last season and remembered it, even joking with the media that he might watch it again during the afternoon, but also credited that to the hype surrounding Rempe at the time.
"Reavo in the lineup maybe deters him from being as physical as he has been or their whole team for that fact. And that's the reason I went with him tonight." Berube explained.
Reaves has two assists and 28 penalty minutes in 33 games in his second season with the Maple Leafs and have been working out trying to not let himself get too distracted by a lack of playing time.
In their fight last together last year, Reaves was surprised by the sheer size of the Rangers enforcer.
"You hear about how tall somebody is but then you get up in front of him, he looks a little taller than I was imagining," Reaves explained. "Nothing that I've never fought before."
In the past, Reaves has had big games after a long layoff. In his first season with the Leafs, he had a knee injury but was rested for a long period after his recovery, resulting in an six-week absence. When he returned to the lineup on Jan. 27, 2024 against the Winnipeg Jets, he scored one of his four goals that season.
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