The Minnesota Wild have acquired Ryan Reaves from the New York Rangers, sending a 2025 fifth-round pick in return.
Reaves, 35, had been left out of the Rangers lineup for a good chunk of this season, suiting up only 12 times so far. According to Mollie Walker of the New York Post, his agent requested a trade while the team was in Los Angeles.
The move is a positive one for both sides. Reaves will get a better chance at playing time with the Wild, while the Rangers move out his entire $1.75MM cap hit. That gives them some much-needed cap flexibility, especially for a midseason acquisition later on.
There’s not much to explain about Reaves’ game. He is only a fourth-line option at this point in his career and likely shouldn’t be in the lineup every game. He does bring an immense physical presence and has plenty of experience in the Central Division from his time in St. Louis.
For Minnesota, one of the biggest disappointments in the early going, a change was needed. While an acquisition of Reaves isn’t exactly what many were expecting, he certainly will give their bottom six a different look.
Getting a pick for that guy is funny
I hate this. I loved having him on the Rangers. The Rangers have a tendency of giving away our players for magic beans, and now he’ll join another player the Rangers did that with in Mats Zuccarello.
Zucc was a salary dump. He wasn’t part of the plan in the rebuild and was too small to play in the division.
Tom Wilson can’t wait to play Rangers again. No worries
Yeah, Wilson will breathe heavy on Zibanejad or Panarin, and get a ten game suspension
He literally assaulted Panarin and got a $5K fine…so doubtful
Sure and repeat offenders never get stiffer penalties
Hard day for head coach I would imagine the Rangers might be good offensively but come playoffs team like Boston or Tampa that have pests other team needs a exterminator…IE Reaves…..
I feel the same pain but there is a trade deadline and someone with a little more skill will be available. Maybe someone like TANNER JEANNOT….
I wish
Just lost all respect for the Wild.
Good trade for the rangers. A 5th is not much but it’s something. Plus, they clear some salary
Wild spends good cap space on a goober. They’re already out of the playoffs and have just told the room they’re a bunch of pansies.
Um….have you seen this guy hit? Professional checker is what you now have. And he’s been a pretty clean checker for the rangers rather than the goon Las Vegas had in him. Definitely not a bunch of pansies anymore
It’s been a couple years since Reaves was a NHL player. If the Wild wanted a big, immobile guy with plenty of experience, who could beat people up, and couldn’t score any more, they likely could’ve signed Zdeno Chara for free.
Good locker room presence, gonna miss him. Blais seems like he’s good health wise, thus the move.
I’m surprised the Flyers didn’t sign him. He has all of the qualities of a Flyer.