Maple Leafs Enforcer Ryan Reaves Learns Suspension Fate After Ejection Against The Edmonton Oilers
Ryan Reaves hasn't been playing with much of an edge this season, but that changed on Saturday, and now the veteran has officially been suspended for his act.
There was plenty of hype around the Edmonton Oilers matchup with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Hockey Night in Canada, and the thrilling contest certainly lived up to the expectations.
After a dramatic comeback, the Maple Leafs would win the overtime matchup with a winner from Mitch Marner, but the biggest moment of the game came early on when Ryan Reaves changed the game completely.
In the second period, the Maple Leafs enforcer took a run at defenseman Darnell Nurse, catching him flush in the head with a hit, one that would take Nurse out for the game and result in a match penalty for Reaves.
The play was a disgusting one from Reaves, and understandably, fans were furious that a player that simply offers nothing to the game can change it like this by taking out one of the opposing teams most valuable players.
Now, Reaves has learnt his fate after a hearing with the NHL's Department of Player Safety, and unsurprisingly, it has resulted in a 5 game suspension for the veteran forward.
Given that this was not only reckless and unnecessary, but resulted in a player leaving the game, not to return, it's safe to say that this is a more than fair result for Reaves.
Unfortunately for opposing teams, Reaves is aware that he offers absolutely nothing in the way of hockey to the Maple Leafs, and instead must result to tactics like this to change a game, the very type of play that Gary Bettman and the league are looking to move past.
Given how little he offers, expect Craig Berube and the Maple Leafs to review his position in the team moving forward, and after how this could have negatively effected the team, he may face some healthy scratches once the suspension is over.
