Ryan Reaves

Early Life and Amateur Career

Ryan Reaves was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on January 20, 1987, into a family with a strong athletic background. His father, Willard Reaves, was a professional football player who starred for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Canadian Football League and also played in the National Football League. Reaves began playing hockey at age five and also took up football at age eight, demonstrating early athletic versatility. A significant injury during his youth hockey career, a torn posterior cruciate ligament, ultimately forced him to focus solely on hockey as he was unable to participate in football prior to his Western Hockey League draft year. As a youth player, he participated in the 2000 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Winnipeg South Monarchs minor ice hockey team.

His junior hockey career began when he was selected 36th overall by the Brandon Wheat Kings in the 2002 WHL Bantam Draft. Before joining the Wheat Kings full-time, Reaves led his high school team at St. John's-Ravenscourt School to the 2004 McDonald's Provincial High School Hockey Championship. He joined the Wheat Kings for the 2004-05 season and was named an alternate captain for the 2005-06 campaign alongside teammates Mark Derlago, Riley Day, and Derek LeBlanc. His physical style and work ethic developed during these formative years in the WHL, setting the stage for his professional career as a player built for a grinding role.

Professional Career

Reaves was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the fifth round, 156th overall, of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. He signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Blues in May 2007 and began his professional career in the minor leagues. After attending the Blues' 2007 training camp, he was assigned to their American Hockey League affiliate, the Peoria Rivermen. His 2007-08 season with Peoria was interrupted by an injury suffered in a game against the Rockford IceHogs, which led to a reassignment to the Blues' ECHL affiliate, the Alaska Aces, for recovery and playing time.

He made his NHL debut on October 11, 2010, after being recalled because teammate Cam Janssen suffered a concussion in the season opener. Reaves served 15 penalty minutes in a 5-1 Blues win over the Anaheim Ducks in his first game. He was returned to Peoria after two NHL games but was recalled again later, scoring his first NHL goal on January 12, 2011, against Anaheim Ducks goaltender Jonas Hiller. He spent seven seasons with the Blues, becoming a fixture on their fourth line. His 2015-16 season was cut short by a knee injury, and he returned the following season at a lighter weight of 225 pounds after offseason training with Blues assistant coach Sean Ferrell.

On June 23, 2017, after seven seasons with the St. Louis Blues, Ryan Reaves was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The trade also involved the Blues receiving Oskar Sundqvist and a first-round draft pick in exchange for Reaves and a second-round pick. In the 2017-18 season with the Penguins, Reaves added muscle to the team's lower lines and provided four goals and eight points over 58 games. His time in Pittsburgh was brief, as he was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights on February 23, 2018, in a three-way trade that also involved the Ottawa Senators. In that deal, the Penguins received Tobias Lindberg from the Golden Knights.

His time with Vegas proved to be some of the most memorable of his career. He scored the series-clinching goal against the Winnipeg Jets to send the Golden Knights to the 2018 Stanley Cup Final, and he also scored in Game 1 of that final, a 6-4 Vegas victory. He signed a two-year contract extension with Vegas in July 2018 and later a two-year, $3.5 million extension in June 2020. On May 31, 2021, he was suspended for five games during the second round of the playoffs for an injury inflicted on Colorado Avalanche skater Ryan Graves.

Reaves was traded to the New York Rangers in July 2021 and signed a one-year extension with them days later. After going scoreless in 12 games to open the 2022-23 season, he was traded to the Minnesota Wild in November 2022 for a 2025 fifth-round draft pick. As a free agent in the summer of 2023, Reaves signed a three-year, $4.05 million contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. His final NHL transaction came on July 10, 2025, when he was traded by the Maple Leafs to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenceman Henry Thrun.

Playing Style and Discipline

Throughout his 16-year NHL career, Ryan Reaves was consistently described as an enforcer, a role defined by physical intimidation, fighting, and protecting star teammates. He was frequently deployed on checking lines where his aggressive forechecking and hard hits could disrupt opposing offensive players. This style made him a valued teammate but also led to numerous disciplinary actions from the NHL's Department of Player Safety. Reaves was suspended four times during his regular season and playoff career for a total of eleven games and was fined on three other occasions, a record that reflected the physical risks inherent in his role.

His suspensions were for various dangerous plays. In 2016, he received a three-game suspension for boarding San Jose Sharks defenceman Matt Tennyson. During the 2020 playoffs, he was suspended for Game 7 of a second-round series against the Vancouver Canucks for an illegal hit to the head of forward Tyler Motte. In the 2021 playoffs, he received a two-game suspension for a match penalty against Colorado Avalanche defenceman Ryan Graves, an incident that involved kneeling on his neck and pulling his hair. These incidents underscored the fine line Reaves walked between aggressive, legal play and actions deemed dangerous by the league.

Activism and Social Justice

Following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, Ryan Reaves emerged as a leading voice for racial justice within the NHL. As one of only two Black players on the Vegas Golden Knights roster at the time, he took initiative to organize demonstrations of support for the Black Lives Matter movement. Before an exhibition game against the Arizona Coyotes on July 30, 2020, Reaves led his team in locking arms and bowing their heads during the national anthem, a gesture chosen because not all players were comfortable with kneeling. He believed this unified stance was a powerful way to show solidarity without forcing a specific action on every teammate.

His activism extended beyond his own team. On August 3, 2020, before a game against the Dallas Stars, Reaves approached Stars forward Tyler Seguin to discuss kneeling during the anthem. Seguin agreed to join him, and then informed his own locker room, leading Stars forward Jason Dickinson to volunteer as well. Vegas Golden Knights goalie Robin Lehner also chose to participate. The image of Reaves, a Black player, kneeling alongside three white teammates for both the American and Canadian anthems became a powerful symbol of solidarity during the NHL's playoff bubble in Edmonton. His efforts helped spark broader conversations about race and inclusion in a sport with a historically small Black player population, demonstrating leadership that went far beyond his on-ice duties.

Personal Life and Family

Ryan Reaves comes from a prominent sports family deeply connected to Canadian football. At the time of Ryan's birth in Winnipeg, his father was a member of the Blue Bombers. His brother, Jordan Reaves, is a professional football player with the Edmonton Elks of the CFL. Reaves also has an older sister named Regina. He is married to Alanna, and the couple has two children together, a son named Kane and a daughter named Kamilla.

Reaves holds dual Canadian and American citizenship. He has publicly claimed to be a descendant of Bass Reeves, a legendary former slave who became one of the first Black deputy U.S. marshals. The story of Bass Reeves gained wider popular attention through the 2023 television series Lawmen: Bass Reeves. This connection to a historic figure was a point of personal pride for Reaves, intertwining with his own identity as a Black athlete in a predominantly white sport and perhaps informing his own sense of breaking barriers and standing up for what is right.

Retirement and Post-Career

On September 16, 2026, at age 39, he announced his retirement from professional hockey via an Instagram post. In his retirement message, he expressed deep gratitude for the sport, writing, "Dear Hockey, It's hard to put into words what you meant to me. What you mean to me. I had dreams of being an athlete. Football, hockey, it didn't matter. The post served as a heartfelt farewell to the game that had defined his adult life. He was described as searching for another NHL opportunity and not ready to hang up his skates just yet. Ultimately, no contract materialized, leading to his decision to retire. His departure further diminished the already small number of NHL players who competed without a visor, a characteristic of his old-school, tough-guy persona. His retirement marked the end of an era for a specific type of role player in the modern NHL, closing the book on a career that balanced physical enforcement with impactful social advocacy.

Questions about Ryan Reaves

What teams did Ryan Reaves play for in the NHL?

Ryan Reaves played for seven different NHL teams over his 16-season career. He began with the St. Louis Blues, who drafted him in 2005, and played there for seven seasons. He was then traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2017, followed by a move to the Vegas Golden Knights in 2018. Later in his career, he played for the New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, and Toronto Maple Leafs. His final NHL transaction was a trade to the San Jose Sharks in July 2025, though he did not play for them before retiring in 2026.

Why was Ryan Reaves suspended during the 2021 playoffs?

Ryan Reaves was suspended during the second round of the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs for an incident involving Colorado Avalanche skater Ryan Graves. He received a match penalty for attempting to injure Graves, after kneeling on his neck and pulling parts of his hair out. The NHL Department of Player Safety suspended him for two games as a result of this action. This was one of several suspensions Reaves received throughout his NHL career for infractions related to his physical playstyle.

What is Ryan Reaves known for off the ice?

Off the ice, Ryan Reaves is known for his activism supporting racial justice and the Black Lives Matter movement. In the wake of George Floyd's murder in 2020, he organized his Vegas Golden Knights teammates to lock arms during the national anthem as a show of solidarity. He also facilitated a gesture where he and three white players from opposing teams knelt for both the American and Canadian anthems during the NHL's playoff bubble. As one of the few Black players in the league at the time, he used his platform to advocate for greater awareness and inclusion.

Is Ryan Reaves related to football player Willard Reaves?

Yes, Ryan Reaves is the son of former gridiron football player Willard Reaves. Willard Reaves played professionally in both the Canadian Football League and the National Football League. Ryan also has a brother named Jordan Reaves who is a player with the Edmonton Elks in the CFL. The Reaves family has a notable athletic legacy across both hockey and football.

When and how did Ryan Reaves retire?

Ryan Reaves announced his retirement from professional hockey on September 16, 2026, at the age of 39. He made the announcement through a post on his Instagram account, expressing his love and gratitude for the sport. This came after a season where he did not play following a trade to the San Jose Sharks in July 2025. Reports prior to his retirement indicated he had been hoping to secure a contract for the 2026-27 season to extend his career but was unable to do so, leading to his decision to retire after 16 NHL seasons.

What was Ryan Reaves's role on a hockey team?

Ryan Reaves's primary role throughout his NHL career was that of an enforcer. This meant he was responsible for deterring opponents from taking liberties with his team's star players through the threat of physical retaliation, primarily fighting. He was also used on checking lines to deliver aggressive forechecks and hard hits to disrupt the opposition's rhythm. His physical presence and willingness to defend teammates made him a valued specialist on multiple teams.

Sources: Wikipedia and current public reporting, checked by the Garbutt Disposal desk. Last updated 2026-10-21.