When the free agent market opened on July 1st, the Toronto Maple Leafs wasted no time in putting pen to paper with veteran enforcer Ryan Reaves, signing him to a 3-year deal, worth $1.35M per season.
Leafs GM Brad Treliving spoke following the signing, revealing that while Reavo's tenacity and strength were important qualities, he was actually brought in to add another dynamic to the room, which he had viewed as a bit of a "quiet group" prior to Reaves' arrival.
On Tuesday, we got our first glimpse of Reavo in his blue and white gear, as he took to the ice at City National Arena in Las Vegas for a skate. Reavo looked good in blue during his time with the New York Rangers, but he looks even more sharp in the blue and white of the Toronto Maple Leafs:
Not only will Reaves act as a bit of a deterrent on the ice, protecting the Leafs' top players and dissuading the oppostiong from taking liberties on them, but he'll also serve an important role off the ice with the team, keeping everyone together and building some additional chemistry and also doing valuable work within the community.
