After less than two seasons in New York, the Rangers sent veteran Ryan Reaves to the Minnesota Wild. At 35 years old, the forward has come to understand and accept his role in a league that has gotten younger and more skill-dependent. Reaves undoubtedly left his mark on the Rangers, but his departure begs the question: Is there an expiration date on character players?
Reaves’ reputation preceded him when he landed in the Big Apple in July 2021. The Rangers were in the final stages of a rebuild and needed some of the same grit that fueled the team in the 2014 season. Standing at 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds, the former Vegas Golden Knight provided an edge that the young Blueshirts lacked. Reaves’ presence helped cement New York’s identity and ignited some of the squad’s best hockey in the past five years. He stood up for his teammates, amped up the locker room and taught the kids how to play with pride.
While the Rangers benefited from his big personality, Reaves wasn’t part of New York’s future. Reaves was a healthy scratch in eight of his last 12 games as a Ranger and lost his spot on the team’s fourth line to blossoming 25-year-old Julien Gauthier. New York’s current play isn’t promising for a sustained playoff run, but President and General Manager Chris Drury is collecting his coins to add flexibility at the trade deadline.
In return for Reaves, the Rangers received a 2025 fifth-round draft pick and opened up $1.75 million in cap space. New York is now able to cut the roster down to 22 skaters and can use the gained salary to improve the lineup.
The addition of Frank Vatrano, Tyler Motte, Andrew Copp and Justin Braun last season made all the difference in the Rangers’ strong 2021-2022 postseason performance. While it hurts to see a guy like Reaves leave, it’s all rooted in rationality as he has failed to make valuable contributions this season.
It’s the classic blueprint of a character guy that comes in, builds the confidence of the lineup, throws a couple fists, finishes their hits, skates with swagger and soon pivots to sprinkle that same energy on another team.
The Wild have struggled to find their identity as a group. Physicality aside, Reaves is a mood-lifter and momentum-changer who affects games before the puck hits the ice. Now on an upward trajectory, Minnesota is the perfect next stop for Reaves’ career.
There will always be a clear need for guys like Reaves in the league, but their tenure on NHL rosters will only continue to get shorter. The league’s financial regulations put priority on young talent, but teams need more than young talent to win championships. The Rangers’ run to the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals likely doesn’t happen without veteran depth players like Reaves and Motte.
I guess this is somewhat of an appreciation post for the guys that gutted it out for the benefit of the letters on their jersey. They’re not netting highlight-reel goals or inking blockbuster contracts, but they’re still vital to the DNA of a winning hockey team.
Look at Keith Yandle, Mike Rupp, or even Milan Lucic and Dominic Moore — they are difference makers who make the NHL more exciting. And now, as Reaves skates for his fifth team, he stands tall in that category.
