Maple Leafs enforcer Ryan Reaves isn't the type to keep his feelings inside, and now, he's opened up on the most fierce rivalry of his career with the controversial Evander Kane.
For years now, Ryan Reaves has been one of the NHL's toughest players, and in roles with Minnesota, New York and Toronto, he's served as an enforcer as one of the final players in that mold.
However, his history in the NHL goes back much longer than that, and throughout that time, there's been no bigger rival to Reaves than the newest member of the Vancouver Canucks, Evander Kane.
On a recent appearance on the Cam & Strick podcast, that's something the veteran opened up about, and from the sounds of it, that's a rivalry that's going to continue long after their playing days are over.
'He chirps too much' Reaves said
It's real... I don't think that's ever something that's going to change.I think it started early in our careers when, you know, he just always said he'd beat me up, it's just what he'd always love to tell us; 'I'd k**l you'. But then we'd never fight unless there was a ref right there, and then he'd you know try and throw a punch.
Then he was telling guys that he asked me to fight and I turned him down and I was like 'listen man, I don't think anybody's believing that when I've been chasing you around for six years and you won't fight me.
This is a rivalry that's gone back many, many years it seems like, and while nothing personal behind the scenes appears to have gone on, Kane continually seems to frustrate Reaves with his nonsense, and clearly it's gotten the better of Reaves.
Ultimately, this is what makes sport great when rivalries are real, and while they've fought once before, they may both do it again, and while that's unlikely, Reaves has set the record straight that this rivalry is likely never going away.