Former NHL player
Sean Avery, now a podcast host, didn't mince words when addressing Reaves' shortcomings as an NHL player:
"He's -8, we all know how bad he is, he can't shoot, and pass in the modern-day NHL, that's obvious."
"When was Ryan Reaves after the Brad Marchand incident?" Avery questioned. "He said he didn't get matched up with Brad Marchand. You're one of the worst players in the league. Of course, you're not going to get matched up against Marchand. You still need to find a way to make Marchand scared of you."