The Toronto Maple Leafs will get a little grittier by adding veteran forward Ryan Reaves on a three-year, $4.05 million contract at the opening of NHL free agency Saturday, a source confirmed to ESPN.
Reaves projects to bring size, physicality and toughness, areas Toronto has been criticized for not addressing through player signings in the past. The 36-year-old Reaves has made a 13-year career, with 828 regular-season games, out of those characteristics as a long-term enforcer and punishing hitter.
The Winnipeg native is also coming off one of his more productive offensive seasons. Reaves was traded last fall from the New York Rangers to Minnesota Wild and went on to tally five goals and 15 points over 61 games with the latter club. He also appeared in six playoff games.
Given Reaves' age and the physical role he'll often play, a three-year pact represents significant investment by Toronto in what the team hopes Reaves can ultimately provide. The Leafs have multiple high-end scoring threats -- including Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander -- leading their group.
Reaves' signing will be the first major move by new Toronto general manager Brad Treliving, who replaced Kyle Dubas in late June. For the signing to go down as a positive, Reaves will have to deliver on making Toronto more multidimensional -- especially in the postseason, where the Leafs have perennially struggled.
