Ryan Reaves has a chance to face the Rocket on Friday night

Dose
Crédit:

Last March 6, the Maple Leafs put Ryan Reaves on waivers. The heavyweight, who has clearly slowed down on the ice, had to be sent to the farm team in order to free up some money on the payroll.

The Leafs, being stuck at the salary cap, didn’t really have a choice but to cut somewhere… and Reaves, the team’s 13th forward, was the (very) logical target.

Reaves wasn’t claimed on waivers… but he didn’t immediately report to the Marlies. However, in the last few days, that changed: he started practicing with the team.

And that’s getting people talking in the lead-up to the Marlies’ next game, which will take place on Friday night… against the Laval Rocket at Place Bell.

And when you hear the Marlies’ coach not completely closing the door on seeing Reaves play in the AHL, you understand that he has a chance to face the Rocket on Friday.

Reaves hasn’t played a single game in the AHL since 2011. However, that could visibly change in the next few days… and against the Habs’ farm team, which is ranked first in the AHL, that would be something.

Imagine how electric Place Bell would be if Florian Xhekaj dropped the gloves against Reaves. That would be something.

We can think that we’ll have a better idea of Reaves’ chances of playing on Friday night in the next day. It’s possible that Reaves started practicing again because the Maple Leafs want him to be ready for a potential call-up in the playoffs… but maybe the coach is opening the door for Reaves to play for his team because that chance really exists.

And we can think that the idea of sending Reaves to disrupt the farm team of a rival doesn’t hurt the Maple Leafs, that’s for sure.

Overtime

– The Canucks won against the Islanders in regulation time, to the great delight of the Habs.

– The Rocket tried to develop Joshua Roy’s grit. [TVA Sports]

– Without a doubt.