Auston Matthews has Strong Reaction to Ryan Reaves Fights
Ryan Reaves has cemented his presence in the Maple Leafs' lineup by displaying his toughness and grit. One of the more feared enforcers in the NHL, he has seemingly won over the approval of superstar Auston Matthews.
Despite the lack of offensive production from Reaves, which many Maple Leafs fans may be disappointed with, Matthews was quick to point out the energy and grit that Reaves' recent fights have brought to the ice.
Since their return to the NHL playoffs in 2017, the Maple Leafs have tried their luck with many different enforcers, many of which would bounce from the ice to the press box. Fortunately for this years team, Reaves has solidified himself as a force on the fourth line, making it hard to remove him from the lineup.
The decision to sign Reaves to a 3-year deal in the offseason seems to have paid dividends, as his style of play has seemed to rub off on the rest of the roster, with players like Jake McCabe and even rookie forward Matthew Knies, not known for his fighting ability, dropping the gloves during the season.
Adding toughness on all four lines has allowed players like Auston Matthews and William Nylander to set career highs in goals, and with playoffs right around the bend, the Maple Leafs seem to be embracing their new culture at an opportune time.
Credit HouseofHockey:
Auston Matthews shares his real opinion on Ryan Reaves
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 8 | 84 ANSWERS Auston Matthews has Strong Reaction to Ryan Reaves Fights How far do you think the Leafs will go in the playoffs? | ||
| First Round Exit | 34 | 40.5 % |
| Second Round Exit | 20 | 23.8 % |
| Conference Final Exit | 16 | 19 % |
| Stanley Cup Appearance | 14 | 16.7 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
| G | A | PTS | ||
| Zachary Werenski | 2 | 3 | 5 | |
| Sean Monahan | 1 | 3 | 4 | |
| Jesper Bratt | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Frederick Gaudreau | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Jack Hughes | - | 3 | 3 | |
| Nikita Kucherov | - | 3 | 3 | |
| Mackenzie Weegar | - | 3 | 3 | |
| Kent Johnson | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Alexander Wennberg | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Mitchell Chaffee | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Anthony Cirelli | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Matthew Coronato | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Marcus Foligno | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Nick Foligno | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Conor Geekie | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Brandon Hagel | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Stefan Noesen | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Corey Perry | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Igor Sharangovich | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Dmitry Voronkov | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Complete stats | ||||
| STANDINGS 2024-2025 | ||||||
TOP 10 | GP | W | L | OL | PTS | |
Jets | 19 | 16 | 3 | - | 32 | |
Hurricanes | 18 | 14 | 4 | - | 28 | |
Capitals | 18 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 27 | |
Wild | 18 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 27 | |
Maple Leafs | 20 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 26 | |
Devils | 21 | 12 | 7 | 2 | 26 | |
Rangers | 17 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 25 | |
Panthers | 19 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 25 | |
Stars | 18 | 12 | 6 | - | 24 | |
Golden Knights | 19 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 24 | |
| Conference | Cumulative | ||||||