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Leafs Veteran Ryan Reaves May Have Tipped His Hand on Post-Hockey Career Opportunity

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Ryan Smitheram
February 2, 2025 (12:13)

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Maple Leafs forward Ryan Reaves may have already selected a field for his post-hockey career, and it would be no surprise to his teammates in Toronto.

Reaves was not just brought in by Brad Treliving to be a deterrent for teams taking runs at the Leafs' stars, but to build a better culture off the ice. The now 38-year-old has always had a loud personality and has never shied away from the media during the course of his career.

Although he has skated in just 32 games this season, Reaves can often be seen hyping his teammates up before they take the ice in between periods. He has become loved by everyone who has played with him and his personality is a big reason for that.

The Athletic recently completed a two-part series surveying the Leafs' roster to find out who has the best fashion sense, who players would want to be stuck in an elevator with and who talks the most, among other topics, and Reaves was the consensus pick for many of the more social questions among his teammates.

In part two of the Maple Leafs player survey, Reaves garnered 14 of a possible 23 votes for the player to make the best media member following their career.

The results didn't come as a shock to Reaves, who admitted he has already thought about his life following retirement.

"I've thought about (doing media) and I've had a few agencies call me over the last few years. I guess they thought I'd retired."

Reaves noted that he would prefer to do something that allows him to speak freely, noting that the NHL doesn't market the game well and sensors some opinions.

"My hang up with it is I would rather do something like 'Spittin' Chiclets' or 'Inside the NBA' where you can speak freely and have a little fun and it's not so dry.

Hockey doesn't do a very good job at marketing the game because they want everything to be so black and white. You can't have a very strong opinion about things, you can't have fun with things.

I feel like we fall behind other sports in that regard. That would be my hang-up to just going anywhere on TV."

The former fifth-round pick has at least one more season before he has to make any decisions, as he has one year left on his current deal with the Leafs.

Should he choose to make the jump to media, however, he would be high on the list of "must watch", because you just never know what Reaves will do or say.

Previously on Toronto Hockey Daily

Craig Berube Shares Initial Update on Injury to Leafs' Oliver Ekman-Larsson

Canadian Fans Relentlessly Boo American National Anthem During Live NHL Broadcast

Maple Leafs Goalie Prospect Dennis Hildeby Earns Exciting Opportunity Amid Hot Streak

POLL
FEVRIER 2 \| 2218 ANSWERS Leafs Veteran Ryan Reaves May Have Tipped His Hand on Post-Hockey Career Opportunity Would Ryan Reaves be the best media personality among current Leafs?
Yes, that's a no-brainer	1161	52.3 %
He's the next Biz Nasty	293	13.2 %
Depends where he goes	406	18.3 %
Nah, he's too loud for TV	358	16.1 %
List of polls

Leafs Veteran Ryan Reaves May Have Tipped His Hand on Post-Hockey Career Opportunity

Maple Leafs forward Ryan Reaves may have already selected a field for his post-hockey career, and it would be no surprise to his teammates in Toronto.

Would Ryan Reaves be the best media personality among current Leafs?