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Ryan Reaves Retires From NHL, But One of Las Vegas’ Most Beloved Athletes Is Staying Home
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- Ryan Reaves Retires From NHL, But One of Las Vegas’ Most Beloved Athletes Is Staying Home
LAS VEGAS -- In a city that has embraced Stanley Cupchampions, WNBAsuperstars, NFLpersonalities and some of the biggest names in professional sports, Ryan Reavesbelongs in a rather exclusive category.
Not necessarily among the five greatest athletes to wear a Las Vegasuniform.
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But among the five most beloved?
Absolutely.
And it isn't particularly difficult to make the argument.
Long before the Vegas Golden Knightslifted the Stanley Cup, before the Las Vegas Acesestablished their championship pedigree and before the Las Vegas Raiderssettled into their new home, Reaves helped introduce a different kind of professional sports personality to Southern Nevada.
He wasn't going to lead the league in scoring. He wasn't going to win an MVP award. And nobody was confusing his offensive production with that of the NHL's elite.
But Reaves could bring more than 18,000 people to their feet without scoring a goal.
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Sometimes all it took was one thunderous hit, a dropped pair of gloves, or that unmistakable grin that told everyone inside T-Mobile Arena he was having the time of his life.
And Las Vegas loved every minute of it.
Now, after 16 NHL seasons, 962 regular-season games and a career built on toughness, personality and an unwavering willingness to stand up for his teammates, the man affectionately known as "Reavo" has officially retired.
And how is retirement treating him?
"Horrible, absolutely horrible," Reaves said with a laugh during an exclusive interview with The Hockey News at the Golden Knights' 10th-anniversary festivities. "I'm bored. I don't know what to do with myself. Trying to fill the time in the wrong ways. So we'll see. I'm gonna get going and doing something soon."
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One thing he won't have to figure out is where he's going to live.
Las Vegas isn't simply another stop in his hockey career.
It's home.
Former Golden Knights Pierre-Édouard Bellemare and Ryan Reaves share a laugh on stage during the Golden Knights' 10th-anniversary Fan Fest festivities. PHOTO: Courtesy Golden Knights
A City That Embraced Reavo
Reaves arrived in Las Vegas in February 2018, joining the expansion Golden Knights during their remarkable inaugural season and helping a franchise nobody expected to contend reach the Stanley Cup Final.
But the relationship between Reaves and Southern Nevada became something much bigger than hockey.
"This community opened their arms to me," Reaves said. "I started a business here, and then people flooded out to the bars when I was there, pouring beer and really supported that."
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His beer business, 7Five Brewing Co., became another connection between the rugged forward and a community that couldn't get enough of his personality.
And while millions of visitors associate Las Vegas with casinos, nightlife and the Strip, Reaves discovered the city beyond the tourist attractions.
"The people are just so nice here. The city is great," he said. "I don't think many people know what kind of city really lies outside that Strip. And so, yeah, we fell in love with this place. And right now I'm calling it home for sure."
Reaves also witnessed the city's transformation into a major professional sports market, with the Golden Knights, Aces and Raiders establishing their places in the community and Major League Baseball on the horizon.
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"This is obviously a new sports city, but you can see how vibrant the sports city is," he said. "This place loves its sports. It probably took a little longer than it should have, but good on the fans for coming out and supporting everything and really growing the sports in the city."
Perhaps nowhere has that growth been more evident than in youth hockey.
Reaves remembers a market that was still finding its hockey identity. Today, new ice facilities, youth programs and competitive teams have helped establish a thriving hockey culture in the desert.
"You just go around the rinks, the practice rinks and all the new rinks that are being built, and there's kids everywhere, and they love the game," Reaves said. "The sport's really growing here, and it's going to continue to go up as long as the Knights are here."
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An Unforgettable Walk Down The Tunnel
Ask Reaves about his favorite memory inside T-Mobile Arena, and he doesn't immediately mention a fight, a goal or even the Golden Knights' extraordinary run to the 2018 Stanley Cup Final.
Instead, he remembers the first time he experienced the building as a Golden Knight.
"I think the first time I walked down the tunnel, that John Wick song came out. The place was absolutely erupting," Reaves recalled. "It was the coolest sporting moment I think I've seen. Not just playing in, but just being part of, seeing live."
For a player who spent parts of 16 seasons in NHL arenas across North America, that is quite a compliment.
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"I just thought the entertainment that this place puts on is like nothing in North American sports," he said. "I always remember that first day walking down the tunnel."
There was another important element to his time in Vegas.
Former coach Gerard Gallant, affectionately known as "Turk," helped Reaves understand that his value extended beyond intimidating opponents.
Reaves said Gallant's confidence in him allowed him to become a more complete player, particularly during his second season with the franchise.
"He really trusted me," Reaves said. "We played against a lot of top lines, and he trusted us in all situations. We played 10, 12 minutes as a fourth line, playing a lot of shutdown stuff."
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For someone accustomed to limited minutes and long stretches on the bench, that trust changed everything.
"When you're more involved in the game, you feel better on the ice," Reaves said. "Turk really just allowed me to kind of be myself and play the way I can."
One More Fight? Evander Kane, Of Course
No conversation with Reaves would be complete without discussing the fights.
And when asked whether there was anyone he regretted not dropping the gloves with more often, Reaves didn't hesitate.
"Oh man, I regret not dropping more with Evander Kane," he said. "I think I got him once, but I regret not getting him every time we played."
That competitive streak apparently hasn't disappeared in retirement.
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In fact, Reaves might have stumbled onto a rather unusual business opportunity.
Teaching other hockey players how to fight.
Reaves said he spent some time this summer working with players on fighting techniques when Golden Knights broadcaster Daren Millard suggested turning those lessons into a camp.
"I've actually thought about just flying around and helping teams with, or whoever wants it, just kind of breaking down general basics of what you're looking for in a fight, how to set your feet, your grabs," Reaves said. "I think it would be cool, but I don't know if there's a market for it."
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Imagine that.
The same guy who once terrorized opponents with his fists could someday be traveling around the NHL teaching the next generation how to throw them.
Hockey, Television and Fatherhood
Reaves hasn't ruled out remaining involved in the NHL, whether through coaching, management or broadcasting.
He plans to experiment with television and social media opportunities this season before deciding on a more permanent direction.
"I think I'm going to dabble a little bit in some broadcasting, some social stuff with the NHL, and I'm going to see how I like it this year," he said. "I'm going to spend some time with the family. I'm not going to do anything too permanent."
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He also offered a favorable early assessment of the current Golden Knights, particularly rookie Trevor Connelly, whom he skated with during the summer, and first-year head coach Ryan Craig.
"He's played really well," Reaves said of Connelly. "He looks poised to have a really good season his first year up."
Reaves also praised Craig's approach and the talent assembled around Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner and Mark Stone.
"This is one of the most talented teams, I think, in the NHL," Reaves said. "The sky's the limit for this team, as it always is."
But for now, his most meaningful assignment isn't behind an NHL bench or in front of a television camera.
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It's coaching his son.
"I'm coaching my kid, my son, in hockey a little bit, and I'm just having fun spending time with them right now," Reaves said.
It's a fitting next chapter for a player whose identity was never limited to the intimidating figure opponents encountered on the ice.
Years ago, Reaves could be seen patiently introducing his young son to skating on the same ice where he entertained thousands of Golden Knights fans attending practices.
Now, instead of worrying about his next shift, his next opponent or his next fight, he can enjoy those moments without the demands of an NHL schedule.
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And while retirement may have left Reaves wondering what to do with all his free time, there's something rather appropriate about where his journey has brought him.
He arrived in Las Vegas as a hockey player.
He became one of the city's most recognizable and beloved sports personalities.
And after 16 NHL seasons, countless fights and memories that will endure long after his playing days, Ryan Reaves isn't leaving the city that embraced him.
He's already home.
