Advanced Stats Prove Ryan Reaves is the Worst Maple Leafs Forward Since the Lockout
The situation with Ryan Reaves has become difficult for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season in terms of advanced statistics.
Brought in to provide physicality and leadership in the Leafs lineup, his performance this season has started some concerns because advanced statistics painted a not so godd picture of his impact on the ice.
Let's look at Ryan Reaves advanced statistics since he is with the Toronto Maple Leafs
The biggest red flag is Ryan Reaves' expected goals for percentage.
This stats measures how often a team is expected to score versus give up goals when a player is on the ice and shows just how ineffective Reaves has been with the Leafs.
Toronto's fourth line the line that Ryan Reaves plays on and has offered almost no offensive contributions and his defensive play hasn't compensated at all for this lack.
To add to all of it, Reaves recorded 94 hits this season and is on pace for one of his lowest totals since becoming a regular in the NHL.
The lack of hits is also added to his lack of fights which is a role he historically thrived in as an enforcer to shift momentum or stand up for teammates during in games.
Reaves' struggles show the NHL's evolution is going away from the traditional enforcer's role in today's game that prioritizes now speed and skills.
His $1.35 million cap hit is problematic for the Leafs who are already in a tight salary cap and are looking to extend some of their best players like Mitch Marner.
For the Maple Leafs, relying on Reaves may do more harm than good since he cannot keep up with the pace of play and has no offensive and defensive contributions.
Waiving or trading Reaves could free up cap space to acquire a more effective bottom-six player who aligns better with the team's needs.
For a team with Stanley Cup aspirations, the Leafs cannot afford to let nostalgia or sentimentality dictate their roster decisions like the decisions with Ryan Reaves.
