Ryan Reaves fires verbal shots as he makes his return to the Toronto Maple Leafs

Ryan Reaves Talks Candidly Ahead of Return to Toronto to Face Maple Leafs

Veteran forward Ryan Reaves makes his return to Toronto tonight as his San Jose Sharks take on the Maple Leafs — and while he insists he isn’t carrying a grudge, his comments suggest lingering frustration over how his time with the team ended.

“They basically said that I couldn’t play in this league anymore,” Reaves told reporters at Scotiabank Arena earlier today. “And I’m back.”

Reaves has appeared in 25 games for the Sharks this season, recording two points and three fighting majors. While his production hasn’t been eye-catching, the 37-year-old clearly views his continued NHL presence as a message to his former club.

He admitted the matchup carries extra meaning:
“I mean, it’s always fun playing against your buddies. You never want to lose to them, so those games are always a little more special. But I’ve done it many times.

“I enjoyed my time here. It was a great experience. The guys I met on this team will hopefully be friends forever.”

But Reaves didn’t hide the fact that the end of his Leafs tenure left a sour taste.

“It’s a business, and sometimes business doesn’t go the way you want it to,” he said. “I think things could’ve been handled a little differently with me — just a little more upfront honesty.”

Reaves was waived by Toronto before the 2025 trade deadline and assigned to the AHL, the first time in more than a decade he’d been demoted. He admitted that the situation bothered him.

“Just some upfront honesty of what was going on with my situation… the trade deadline thing was a little frustrating,” he added.

While he praised his former teammates, Reaves made it clear that his issues were with Leafs coaching and management. Still, he insists he’s moved on.

“But I don’t hold any grudges. Business is business. I’ve been on the good side of it, I’ve been on the bad side of it.”

Reaves also contrasted his new surroundings in San Jose with what he described as the intense, controlled environment in Toronto.

“I just feel a little bit more myself here,” he said. “In Toronto, it’s a little more corporate. You’ve got people hovering over you all the time. You do an interview in Toronto and they’re running down saying, ‘Hey, don’t say this.’ It’s like, ‘Well then you do the interview.’ Here, they don’t come tell me what to do.”