The Toronto Maple Leafs have placed enforcer Ryan Reaves on waivers as Friday’s 3 p.m. ET trade deadline approaches.
The Leafs needed to free up some cap space ahead of the deadline. Enter Reaves. Assuming the 38-year-old clears, which seems like a foregone conclusion, the Leafs will clear $1.15 million in cap space.
Were another team to claim Reaves, which seems unlikely, the Leafs would shed the entirety of the $1.35 million cap hit on his contract, which still has another year left on it.
Reaves has been a frequent healthy scratch this season, playing in only 35 of the team’s 62 games.
Though he plays a prominent role in the dressing room, Reaves’ impact on the ice has been almost non-existent. He has zero goals and has taken only 14 shots. The Leafs have scored just four times in his 273 minutes — while giving up six at the other end.
Fourth lines that feature him have been largely ineffective. Reaves is averaging less than eight minutes of ice time per game.
More than 900 games into his NHL career, Reaves’ foot speed has declined and he struggles to make a difference physically in a way that matters.
It’s possible that he returns at some point to the Leafs after the trade deadline. However, with the likelihood that the team adds up front before Friday, Reaves will inevitably fall farther down the depth chart. In other words, his opportunity to play NHL games even semi-regularly may be over.
The Leafs opted not to place fellow fourth liner Connor Dewar on waivers, but it’s still possible he gets moved before Friday in another cap-saving measure.
(Photo: Jerome Miron / USA TODAY Sports)
