Ryan Reaves saw the writing on the wall months before his trade to the San Jose Sharks became official. While Mitch Marner’s move to the Vegas Golden Knights grabbed headlines as the Toronto Maple Leafs’ biggest offseason loss, the veteran enforcer’s departure tells a different story. One where a 38-year-old player knew exactly when his time with the Maple Leafs was up.
When Did Ryan Reaves Know His Toronto Days Were Numbered?
While Ryan Reaves’s move to Toronto two seasons ago brought much fanfare, the veteran didn’t get to make much of his time there. In the 2024-25 season, Reaves managed to play just 35 games, with nearly none after January.
The combination of limited playing time and being informed about his trade to the Sharks just minutes before the official announcement made things difficult for Reaves. However, in a recent episode of the “Leafs Nation Podcast,” he revealed that he saw it coming.
On the show, Reaves joined hosts Nick Alberga and Jay Rosehill, who mentioned how his departure was a bittersweet moment and how he was one of their favorites. When they asked how he was handling the move to San Jose, Reaves stayed upbeat.
“I’m living. Just, uh, you know, trying to get my life together and move everything from Toronto to San Jose. We found a place online. Didn’t even have to fly down,” Reaves said. He also mentioned how moving is fun sometimes.
But it was his response about the exit meeting that revealed the reality of his situation. When asked about how it went, Reaves replied, “I think just the way the season ended… getting sent down to the minors. I think it was just the writing on the wall where I lost my spot on the team, which happens.”
Reaves also acknowledged that his age, being 38, might have played a role. “It’s a business. Sports is very unforgiving sometimes, especially to older guys. So I think once I was sent down, I think that was obvious,” he said.
The veteran forward also admitted that he felt like he didn’t belong in Toronto anymore. He told Alberga and Rosehill, “I don’t really have a place here anymore, and it’s probably time to move on. I had the discussion with Tre (Treliving).” The conversation went pretty well for Reaves.
He further explained, “I just told him I just don’t see myself coming back, and if he could move me, that’d be great.” Despite his issues with the playing lineups and the minutes he got on ice, Reaves kept a positive outlook on his time in Toronto.
“I’ll remember all the people I met. I made a lot of really good friends on this team. Um, I played for, you know, probably the best organization in terms of how they treat the players, how they run the team,” he said.
Reaves will be available for San Jose soon, and it will be interesting to see how he fits into the Sharks’ lineup.
