It appears that Toronto Maple Leafs enforcer Ryan Reaves was feeling some remorse moments after being kicked out of Saturday night’s game against the Edmonton Oilers.
The 37-year-old Reaves received a five-minute match penalty in the second period after laying a brutal headshot against Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse. The hit saw Reaves’ shoulder make direct contact with the head and left Nurse on the ice, dazed and bloodied.
Nurse left the game and did not return. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that there was no postgame update on Nurse but said that Reaves had attempted to apologize.
“Ryan Reaves went towards Edmonton room for a face-to-face apology during the third period,” Friedman said on social media.
No postgame update on Darnell Nurse; have to see how things evolve over next few days.
He was walking around and joking with trainers, per @EdmontonJack.
Ryan Reaves went towards Edmonton room for a face-to-face apology during the third period. We await the NHL’s decision on…— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) November 17, 2024
This at least shows that Reaves knows he made a bad decision with the hit and that he was in the wrong. Friedman also reported that Nurse seemed in high spirits, walking around and having fun with the trainers. This is good news for the Oilers, but a concussion should still be among the biggest concerns for the team.
Despite that remorse, it does appear that Reaves will be suspended for the hit. The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced this morning that the Leafs enforcer will have a hearing today for an illegal check to the head.
Since the hearing was not specified to be in-person, Reaves’ incoming suspension will be limited to a maximum of five games.
Toronto’s Ryan Reaves will have a hearing today for an illegal check to the head against Edmonton’s Darnell Nurse.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) November 17, 2024
Reaves has played in 16 games with the Leafs so far this season and hasn’t done much to help the team on the scoreboard. He has just one assist this year and 23 penalty minutes. This will be the fourth time in his career that he has been suspended by the league and the seventh that he’s received supplemental discipline after being fined an additional three times.
An announcement on the length of the suspension, followed by an explanation, will most likely come later today.