Is Ryan Reaves Toronto's Secret Weapon for Playoff Success?
In a move that raised many eyebrows, Brad Treliving took the plunge and signed Ryan Reaves, possibly adding the much-needed spice to Toronto's game.
Over time, the Leafs have been struggling to infuse the appropriate level of tenacity needed for playoff victories. With Reaves, known for his tenacity, things could change.
Reaves is admired for his on-ice persona and style, which many believe was just what Toronto was lacking.
Treliving Justifies the Signing
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In a subsequent interview, Treliving shed some light on his decision to recruit Reaves. He emphasized the need for diverse characters in a team.
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You need character on your team and sometimes you need some characters. It's not about fighting and all the rest of it. I just felt both on the ice and in our room and around our team. We needed a little bit more noise and Ryan brings that.
"He further explained that their team, while being quiet, needed some infusion of personality.
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The one thing in talking with the staff and looking at this group. It's a quiet group. I think bringing some personality to it — not to say we don't have personalty on our team — but I think having a presence like Ryan will be a real positive influence for us.
"Long-Term Contract Controversy
There has been widespread speculation that Treliving may have overpaid Reaves, with a contract amounting to 3y x $1.3M AAV. However, Treliving stood by his decision, stating that he did what was necessary to secure Reaves.
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At the end of the day you'd like them all short (term) but at the end of the day you want to get the players. They wanted him to stay in Minnesota and he was given an opportunity to speak to teams earlier. And we were able to talk to him and work out a deal. We felt like we had to go where we had to get Ryan on board.
"As Read on HockeyPatrol - Brad Treliving Reveals Why the Leafs Signed Ryan Reaves Long-Term
| POLL | ||
2 JUILLET | 30 ANSWERS Leafs GM Explains why Ryan Reaves is the Perfect Acquisition for his Team Do you think Treliving overpaid for Reaves? | ||
| Yes | 17 | 56.7 % |
| No | 13 | 43.3 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
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