Ryan Reaves finally got it out of his system.
Perturbed at having not yet fought in a game this season, the Maple Leafs winger was glad to drop the gloves with Mathieu Olivier of the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday.
“Felt good,” Reaves said. “It has been a frustrating season for the fights (or lack thereof).
“I didn’t know how it was going to go, but felt felt like I was in mid-season form with it. Technique felt good, punching felt good, and I felt like a little bit of weight came off my shoulders. I felt like I could play after that.”
Reaves hadn’t fought since last April 6, when he scrapped with Michael Pezzetta of the Montreal Canadiens. Why didn’t Reaves’ first fight of 2024-25 come before his 30th game?
Reaves listed several opposing heavyweights who weren’t dressed for games against the Leafs. Others, including the Canadiens’ Arber Xhekaj, weren’t interested when Reaves appeared to be.
“There hasn’t been a lot of opportunity,” Reaves said. “There’s guys in this league that you show respect for. There’s no reason (Olivier) had to give me one there.
“When a guy gives you one like that, I’ll be willing to give him one when he needs it. Just a lot of respect for guys who do their job like that.”
Leafs captain Auston Matthews noted after the game, a 5-1 Blue Jackets win, that he would have liked to have seen more energy from the “quiet” crowd after the fight.
To an extent, Reaves shrugged.
“I heard them chanting ‘Reavo’ during the fight, which was nice,” Reaves said. “This crowd can be good. Sometimes they don’t have it, just like sometimes we don’t have it. We like when they bring energy. I think we like to feed off of it, for sure.”
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