<p>Toronto Maple Leafs&#8217; forward Ryan Reaves has been suspended five games by the NHL&#8217;s Department of Player Safety, after delivering an illegal check to the head on Edmonton Oilers&#8217; defenseman Darnell Nurse.</p>
<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Instant Reaction: Ryan Reaves Suspended FIVE Games" width="1424" height="801" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Y-ZeRZBtt7Q?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<p>Reaves was immediately assessed a five-minute major and match penalty in Saturday&#8217;s contest, after delivering a shoulder to Nurse&#8217;s head, who was in a vulnerable position and didn&#8217;t see Reaves coming. Nurse left Saturday&#8217;s game with an upper-body injury and had to be helped off the ice with assistance from a team trainer and teammate Mattias Janmark. Nurse continues to be evaluated by team doctors.</p>
<p>This isn&#8217;t the first time Reaves has been disciplined by the league. The Maple Leafs&#8217; enforcer has a lengthy history of three other suspensions, including most recently in 2021 as a member of the Vegas Golden Knights, when he was suspended for two games after an attempt to injury on then-Colorado Avalanche defenceman Ryan Graves.</p>
<p>Reaves has been also been suspended two other times, receiving a one-game ban during the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs for a hit on then-Vancouver Canucks forward Tyler Motte. He also sat for three games in 2016 as a member of the St Louis Blues, after delivering a blind-side hit on San Jose Sharks defenceman Matt Tennyson.</p>
<p>Reaves has also received a pair of fines throughout his career. In Mar. 2019 with the Golden Knights, he had to pay $2,500 for high-sticking Joe Thornton. In Nov. 2015 with the Blues, Reaves was handed a $3,024 fine for roughing <a class="text-secondary underline underline-offset-2" href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/los-angeles-kings/line-combinations">Los Angeles Kings</a> star Anze Kopitar.</p>
<p>The 37-year-old Reaves is averaging 7:51 of ice-time through 16 games this season, playing only in spot duty on the Maple Leafs&#8217; fourth line. Reaves has recorded one assist, 44 hits and seven shots on goal in 16 games, and leads the Maple Leafs with 23 penalty minutes.</p>
<p>With his five-game ban, the Maple Leafs&#8217; veteran will miss games against the Vegas Golden Knights, Utah HC, Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Chicago Blackhawks.</p>


Toronto Maple Leafs' forward Ryan Reaves has been suspended five games by the NHL's Department of Player Safety, after delivering an illegal check to the head on Edmonton Oilers' defenseman Darnell Nurse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-ZeRZBtt7Q

Reaves was immediately assessed a five-minute major and match penalty in Saturday's contest, after delivering a shoulder to Nurse's head, who was in a vulnerable position and didn't see Reaves coming. Nurse left Saturday's game with an upper-body injury and had to be helped off the ice with assistance from a team trainer and teammate Mattias Janmark. Nurse continues to be evaluated by team doctors.

This isn't the first time Reaves has been disciplined by the league. The Maple Leafs' enforcer has a lengthy history of three other suspensions, including most recently in 2021 as a member of the Vegas Golden Knights, when he was suspended for two games after an attempt to injury on then-Colorado Avalanche defenceman Ryan Graves.

Reaves has been also been suspended two other times, receiving a one-game ban during the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs for a hit on then-Vancouver Canucks forward Tyler Motte. He also sat for three games in 2016 as a member of the St Louis Blues, after delivering a blind-side hit on San Jose Sharks defenceman Matt Tennyson.

Reaves has also received a pair of fines throughout his career. In Mar. 2019 with the Golden Knights, he had to pay $2,500 for high-sticking Joe Thornton. In Nov. 2015 with the Blues, Reaves was handed a $3,024 fine for roughing <a class="text-secondary underline underline-offset-2" href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/los-angeles-kings/line-combinations">Los Angeles Kings</a> star Anze Kopitar.

The 37-year-old Reaves is averaging 7:51 of ice-time through 16 games this season, playing only in spot duty on the Maple Leafs' fourth line. Reaves has recorded one assist, 44 hits and seven shots on goal in 16 games, and leads the Maple Leafs with 23 penalty minutes.

With his five-game ban, the Maple Leafs' veteran will miss games against the Vegas Golden Knights, Utah HC, Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Chicago Blackhawks.

Maple Leafs’ Ryan Reaves suspended 5 games for illegal check to the head on Oilers’ Darnell Nurse

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