Ryan Reaves is calling it a career.
The longtime NHL enforcer announced his retirement from professional hockey on social media Wednesday, ending a 16-season run that spanned 962 regular-season games and 113 playoff games. Reaves is 39.
In a long Instagram post, the former Toronto Maple Leafs winger reflected on the end of a ride that started when he was 5 years old.
"I never thought this day would come. I thought I was invincible. I thought I could play forever, but like all good things, it must come to an end," Reaves wrote in his retirement post.
"Today, I retire from the sport I’ve loved since I was 5 years old. It was a hell of a ride.
Thank you to everyone who supported me throughout this journey. I may not be on the ice anymore, but I know I will always be close to hockey in one way or another.
You can rest easy knowing the corners are a little safer today," he added.
"Mic drop, gloves drop. Reavo out."
Reaves spent two seasons with Toronto, skating for the Maple Leafs in 2023-24 and 2024-25. In 84 games with the club, he scored four goals and eight points.
His game was never built around offense. Reaves made his name by protecting teammates and throwing down when needed, and that role showed up clearly in Toronto.
He collected 77 penalty minutes with the Maple Leafs and finished his NHL career with 1,137 penalty minutes. According to HockeyFights, he also had eight regular-season fights with the Blue and White.
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