Ryan Reaves

Reaves has a reputation for being one of the league's tougher players, but at the age of 37, Toronto is likely to use him very sparingly. He didn't play much in 2023-24, recording four goals, six points, 49 PIM and 165 hits across 49 contests, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him log even fewer games this time around. While Reaves might still get over 30 PIM and 125 hits in 2024-25, even that's not guaranteed at this stage of his career.

Known more for his physical presence than offensive capabilities, Reaves has never exactly been a fantasy star. He recorded 15 points in 61 games with Minnesota last season but was held scoreless in 12 appearances with the Rangers prior to being traded. The 36-year-old winger racked up 196 hits and 43 PIM, which were both fairly tame by his standards. Reaves signed a three-year deal with Toronto this offseason, where he'll now skate in a bottom-six role. He won't be of much use in most fantasy formats but his slight value in non-scoring categories should remain consistent.

Reaves had 279 hits in 69 games in 2021-22, a number that placed him third overall in the NHL. He missed 13 regular-season games and averaged just 10:39 of ice time when he did play, so his hit total could have been considerably higher. With one year left on his contract at a cap hit of $1.75 million, Reaves' greatest asset at this stage of his career are his positive contributions in the locker room. He's again going to rack up hits when in the lineup, but the Rangers coaching staff has openly stated he may not play as often in 2022-23, so don't overpay on draft day.

Reaves will be a fantasy asset in deep specialty formats if he can return to the top of the league's hit list. But if his new home on Broadway favors skill over braun, Reaves should stay on the wire. Last season, he punished those who drafted him with a 19th-place finish in the hits category. Pay attention to the role he earns coming out of camp. In the right situation, Reaves could be a 15-20 point, 300-hit stud.

Reaves remained one of the NHL's elite hit machines in 2019-20, racking up 316 body checks and 15 points in 71 games. His 47 PIM last year actually represented the lowest mark of his career, but let's avoid nominating the 33-year-old for sainthood, as he still packs quite the punch. Reaves can certainly throw his body around, so he's a near-lock for at least 200 hits if he stays healthy during the 2020-21 campaign. The punishing winger will also likely add roughly 10 points, but few fantasy managers have ever added him for his offense -- he'll be more useful in formats that reward the physical contributions highly.

Reaves dispelled the notion that all fourth-liners should be avoided in fantasy hockey, with the veteran winger sprinkling career highs across the board in 2018-19. Despite only averaging 10:54 of ice time, Vegas' resident tough guy bagged nine goals and 11 assists -- including three power-play goals and two game-winners -- as a fine complement to his league-high 305 hits. Reaves' value is most evident in daily fantasy (DFS) settings, with his increasingly frequent offensive outbursts making him a low-risk, budget-friendly dice roll in both tournament and cash-game formats.

Reaves was acquired by the Golden Knights in a trade with Pittsburgh in February of 2018. He's a veteran enforcer in an era where the gloves are rarely dropped anymore and teams generally deploy quicker and more highly skilled forwards. The Manitoba native only produced two assists over 21 games in the regular season with Vegas, but he asserted himself during the 2018 playoffs to the tune of two goals, 18 PIM, 37 hits and a plus-4 rating over 10 games. Still, with a fourth-line role and no clear path to significant ice time, Reaves is not worth owning in fantasy leagues unless you find yourself desperate for defensive numbers.

Reaves was the sheriff of St. Louis, but he was deputized to Pittsburgh in a draft-day trade. He's not going to light it up with goals and assists -- he posted a career highs with seven goals and 13 points last season -- but he'll have your back. The 30-year-old played in 80 games in 2016-17, recording 104 PIM, 239 hits and 26 blocked shots while playing just under nine minutes per game. The Penguins traded a first-round pick and a prospect for Reaves, so expect them to deploy him as much as they can, even if his offensive game isn't remarkable.

Reaves' game took a bit of a step forward in 2014-15, as he set career highs in goals (six), points (12) and shots (55) while still bringing his physical game to the Blues, racking up 116 PIM and 276 hits (also a career high). It's the toughness that makes Reaves valuable in fantasy formats that reward his unique skills, but he's in his late 20s and is a fourth-liner again, so he isn't likely to grow his offensive game much more.

The Blues relied on Reaves to dole out punishment once again last season as a member of the fourth line, with the winger tallying a career-high 211 hits and 126 penalty minutes. It was during one of his typical skirmishes that he suffered a broken hand, costing him about five weeks of action. Reaves would quickly return to his physical brand of hockey upon activation and earned a four-year contract extension along the way, keeping him in the fold for years to come as the protector of the Blues’ more offensively-skilled crop of forwards. If health permits, expect him to rank near the top of the league leaderboard in hits and penalty minutes, while providing next to nothing in just about every other category.

When the Blues traded B.J. Crombeen in the offseason, the move appeared to clear a roster spot and role for Reaves on a nightly basis. Reaves brings a lot of size and forecheck to the Blues, and he'll be best used to create a disturbance and intimidate. He'll be a fourth-line winger and with a nightly role, a potential help for fantasy teams in leagues that reward penalties (124 PIMs in 60 games).