Ryan Reaves Thanks Maple Leafs In Social Media Post After Being Traded To Sharks

Ryan Reaves is grateful for his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The 38-year-old posted to Instagram, thanking his former team for the past two seasons, after being traded on July 10 to the San Jose Sharks for Henry Thrun. Reaves played a total of 84 games with the Maple Leafs—after signing a three-year, $4.055 million contract on July 1, 2023—scoring four goals and four assists.

"I just thought that this wasn't obviously a good fit," Reaves said in a media availability one week ago. "I'm assuming he [Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving] probably thought the same after putting me on waivers and sending me to the minors and just thought it was kind of time to part ways."

This past season was difficult for Reaves. He was placed on waivers, cleared the following day, and was sent to the AHL's Toronto Marlies at the trade deadline to make room for the additions of Scott Laughton and defenseman Brandon Carlo.

Before his demotion, Reaves hadn't played in the AHL since 2011. He appeared in three games with the Marlies, scoring one goal. The forward's final game with the Maple Leafs was against the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 2.

"I think there was just a lack of trust very early in the season," Reaves added. "It just kind of looked like if I had one bad game, I was out of the lineup for four, five, six, seven, eight, nine games. I'd come back in, have a good game, but then be taken right back out. I just really couldn't ever gain any momentum with my game or gain any traction.

"It's hard to play like that. I just didn't see a fit for me in the lineup, and it is what it is. That's also part of the business."

Just before being traded, Reaves appeared on the Cam & Strick Podcast with Andy Strickland and Cam Janssen and discussed his season, plus what his goals are as his playing career winds down. One thing he did want to accomplish was hitting the 1,000 game mark, which he wasn't going to do with the Maple Leafs.

Reaves says he told Treliving at the end of the season that there was no longer a fit, and once July rolled around, the veteran forward got his wish. He added that how the Maple Leafs treated their players is second-to-none in the league.

"I've been in some really good organizations," he said. "Toronto treats their players just a little bit extra, and I think that comes with the standard of putting a winning team on the ice."

Former Maple Leafs teammate Max Domi commented on Reaves' Instagram post with a crying face and a heart emoji. The Sharks and Reaves will play their lone game in Toronto at Scotiabank Arena on December 11.