Trade Pitch Sends Maple Leafs Fan-Favorite Forward to Blackhawks

The Toronto Maple Leafs haven’t made any changes to their forward group this season, but one fan has them dealing away fan-favorite forward Ryan Reaves.

The website PuckPedia has a new tool called PuckGM that lets users create their own trades, and one user proposed a deal that would see the Maple Leafs deal Reaves to the Chicago Blackhawks.

Maple Leafs get:

2026 fifth-round pick

Blackhawks get:

Ryan Reaves

The proposed deal would see Toronto move off of Reaves’ contract in exchange for a fifth-round pick. Reaves has two years left on his deal that pays him $1.35 million per season.

Reaves could be an odd-man-out in Toronto’s lineup this season, especially if the Maple Leafs decide to go younger and get Fraser Minten and Easton Cowan into the lineup.

For the Blackhawks, meanwhile, Reaves would add some veteran leadership to Chicago’s locker room, which is young. The Blackhawks have added leaders to their room like Nick Foligno, and Reaves would be a nice addition to the room, while also adding some toughness to the lineup to protect Connor Bedard.

Maple Leafs Prospect Close to Landing Full-Time Role

Toronto hasn’t signed any forwards this offseason, but the Maple Leafs could look at promoting some of their prospects.

Mitnen made the team out of camp last season but was returned to junior. Heading into the 2024-25 NHL season, Maple Leafs assistant general manager Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser says Minten is close to making the roster.

“He adapts really well,” Wickenheiser said to NHL.com. “He is great to work with from a development standpoint. He’s always curious on his own game. He studies the game of others and for him, it’s just about trying to assist him toward taking that next step to being an everyday NHL player. He’s very close. He’s just such a pro. He’s a very mature kid. He’s a leader everywhere he goes and he’s really like a sponge.”

Minten appeared in 4 NHL games last season recording 0 points as he averaged 11:26 of ice time. He was drafted in the second round of the 2022 NHL draft.

Auston Matthews Praises Reaves’ Leadership

Reaves was signed to a three-year deal by the Maple Leafs on July 1, 2023. The enforcer was added for his leadership, which Toronto was blown away by.

Maple Leafs star forward Auston Matthews heaped praise on Reaves during the season for his play and his leadership in the room.

“He’s just an animal, honestly, he’s a beast,” Matthews said to The Hockey News of Reaves. “I think it’s moments like those where you really realize how important he is to the team and what he brings on the ice as well as off the ice. So I thought, like I said, a couple games ago or last week, I mean, he’s been playing some incredible hockey for us as a late and peaking at a really good time. So it’s been great to see.”

Reaves skated in 49 games recording 4 goals and 2 assists for 6 points. He skated in 5 playoff games recording 0 points, as he dealt with injuries and was a healthy scratch at times last season.