Ranking all of Ryan Reaves’ fights with Maple Leafs

Ryan Reaves vs. Arber Xhekaj, October 11, 2023 

During an opening night tilt against the Montreal Canadiens, Reaves delivered a routine hit on Kaiden Guhle during a normal dump-and-chase sequence. Xhekaj took exception and both players dropped the gloves, but it wasn’t much of a fight. Reaves lost his balance early and Xhekaj wrestled him to the ground. Leafs fans didn’t seem to care about the result of the bout and gave Reaves a standing ovation. Toronto won the game 6-5 in overtime and if you want to attribute to a momentum shift here, we won’t stop you!

Ryan Reaves vs. Nicolas Deslauriers, March 19, 2024

This fight appeared to be agreed upon ahead of time, as both entrants squared off at centre ice, with the puck well into the offensive zone. Reaves received the early lead with a flurry of right-handed shots but Deslauriers waited him out, winning on the strength of his left hand, dropping the Maple Leafs’ veteran to the ground. It was a spirited fight, but it’s certainly not among the best of Reaves’ tenure with the club.

Ryan Reaves vs. Liam O’Brien, February 29, 2024 

After a routine scrum, O’Brien wasn’t happy that Reaves delivered a shot after the whistle and tried to chase him down. Reaves was amused and laughed off O’Brien’s attempt. On the ensuing faceoff, O’Brien charged at Reaves and they squared off. Although O’Brien landed two good shots, Reaves won an entertaining fight easily with a series of right-handed blows. It was the second time Reaves defeated O’Brien convincingly in a fight during his NHL career, and history often repeats itself.

Ryan Reaves vs. Michael Pezzetta, April 6, 2024 

Reaves and Michael Pezzetta disagreed about the legality of a hit, and on the ensuing shift, both players dropped the gloves. Pezzetta took some time to study Reaves before engaging, but it didn’t help much. Reaves attacked with a number of right-handed blows, then pinned Pezzetta to the Canadiens’ bench before dropping him.

Pezzetta signed with the Maple Leafs on a two-year deal this summer and candidly spoke about his fight with Reaves.

“With Reavo, fought him a couple of times now,” Pezzetta said during his introductory meeting with Leafs’ media. “There’s no hard feelings. It’s just two guys who have to do their job, and I think any time you meet guys off the ice like that, they tend to be some of the nicest guys you’ll meet. Looking forward to meeting him and all the rest of the guys.”

Pezzetta later explained that he lost the fight to Reaves:

“He’s a really technical fighter, both times he got the upper hand in those fights,” Pezzetta said of his fights with Reaves. “He’s definitely a good fighter, he’s been doing it for so long, and it’s hard to fight guys who have been doing it for a while because they’re just a lot more technical than myself. He definitely stacks up close to the top, strong guy, he’s a guy I respect a lot, he’s gone through it, he’s played a lot of games and he’s stuck around for a long time, so, lots of respect for guys like that.”

Ryan Reaves vs. Tanner Jeannot, April 3, 2024

Reaves and the Maple Leafs’ fourth line established the offensive zone and he worked his way into the net-front position, battling against Tanner Jeannot. Jeannot and Reaves exchanged a few shoves and as the Lightning broke out heading the other way, both players grew tired of the buildup and decided to fight. Reaves dropped Jeannot early, but Jeannot recovered and tried to find his way. It wasn’t enough and Reaves continued to pummel Jeannot, winning the fight handily. It was the second time Reaves and Jeannot fought each other in their careers.

Ryan Reaves vs. Marcus Foligno, October 14, 2023 

Playing on a makeshift line with Matthew Knies and Fraser Minten, Reaves was on the ice to protect the Maple Leafs’ two young, emerging forwards. Reaves landed a massive open-ice hit on Frederick Gaudreau, where he was slow to get up. Marcus Foligno was outraged despite the legality of the hit. Both players landed massive blows, but Reaves’ powerful right hand pinned Foligno to the boards in a terrific tilt overall. It was Reaves’ third career fight against Foligno and no love was lost.

Ryan Reaves vs. Mathieu Olivier, January 22, 2025 

Reaves was looking for a fight throughout the 2024-25 season and he finally received what he asked for during a January contest against the Columbus Blue Jackets. In what could be considered one of the best fights of the season, Reaves dropped the gloves to take on Blue Jackets enforcer Mathieu Olivier. Olivier dropped Reaves early but he quickly recovered, then both players exchanged a series of massive blows, before Reaves conceded, seemingly running out of energy, and who could blame him? It was a terrific tilt, and several Leafs players believed it should’ve invigorated the Scotiabank Arena crowd.

Ryan Reaves vs. Matt Rempe, March 2, 2024 

Matt Rempe entered the NHL as a sensation of sorts, joining the New York Rangers with the express intention of fighting and doing little else. This matchup was billed as a potential invitation towards a heavyweight bout between two of the NHL’s most feared enforcers and the ensuing tilt lived up to the hype. We’ll let the picture do the talking from here onwards, in what was Reaves’ best fight as a member of the Maple Leafs.