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Ryan Reaves signs two-year extension with Vegas, says he’s itching ‘to put my fist through someone’s face or to lay someone out’

By Ian Oland

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June 16, 2020 8:18 pm

The Vegas Golden Knights announced that they re-signed checking-line forward and enforcer, Ryan Reaves, to a two-year, $3.5 million extension on Monday that will keep him in Sin City through 2022. While Reaves is 33-years-old and not a big contributor on offense, he has played 151 of 153 of the Golden Knights’ games over the last two seasons.

Reaves, who loves controversy, commented both on his new deal and his personal enthusiasm for the 2019-20 season to resume in a Zoom call, Tuesday afternoon. And this quote was a doozy.

“I’m getting the itch to put my fist through someone’s face or to lay someone out,” Reaves said according to The Athletic’s Jesse Granger.

Reaves, who scored in Game One of the 2018 Stanley Cup Final and the series-winning goal to send VGK to the championship round that year, has dropped the gloves 68 times in his career. He also loves talking trash and sometimes playing over the line.

For instance, in December 2018, Reaves checked Tom Wilson from the blind side, knocking the Capitals first-line forward out.

The day after, Reaves signed photos with Wilson laying on the ice with a concussion, inscribing “he ran into the lion in the jungle.”

“I saw it,” Wilson acknowledged later, but “[t]here’s no point to me paying any attention to that kind of stuff. It is what it is.”

Wilson would later talk trash about Reaves to Joe Thorton in a game against the San Jose Sharks.

“Yeah, he’s tough,” Thornton says of Evander Kane.

“Yeah, so?” Wilson replies.

“He’d put you to sleep,” Thornton says.

“So he can’t go off the ice?” Wilson replies. “You think I won’t fight him?”

“You wouldn’t fight Ryan Reaves,” Thornton says back.

Wilson responds, “I still got a ring though. That was key, though. He went to the press box. We f*cking won. I’ll take that.”

Other controversies include Reaves’ own dustup with Evander Kane which earned him a tasty nickname.

“For the so-called toughest guy in the league, I don’t know if he landed a punch,” Kane said according to Sportsnet. “At times, I thought I was fighting the Muffin Man. I didn’t expect that, I expected more of a battle… I was able to handle him. I think he lost a little bit of his allure in terms of toughness.”

Kane added, “For a guy who plays three and a half to four minutes a night, he sure does a lot of talking. I think he thinks it’s the WWE. He’s probably going to end up there pretty soon with the way his game looks. Another year left in his deal. I’m sure Vince McMahon will be giving him a call pretty soon.”

Other quotes from Reaves include:

He also shot this video where he talks about trying to win the scoring title.

More from the Vegas Golden Knights:

VEGAS (June 15, 2020) – Vegas Golden Knights General Manager Kelly McCrimmon announced today, June 15, that the team has signed forward Ryan Reaves to a two-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $1,750,000.

Reaves collected 15 points (8 G, 7 A) during the 2019-20 regular season with Vegas and led the league with 316 hits in 71 games. During his time with the Golden Knights, the Winnipeg, Manitoba native has collected 37 points (17 G, 20 A) in 172 games. Reaves was acquired by Vegas from Pittsburgh on Feb. 26, 2018.

– Posted 15 points (8 G, 7 A) in 71 games during the 2019-20 regular season with the Golden Knights
– Finished the 2019-20 regular season leading the NHL with a career-high 316 hits in 71 games
– The forward has collected 37 points (17 G, 20 A) in three seasons with the Golden Knights

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