One of the most beloved players to ever suit up for the Vegas Golden Knights is calling it a career.
Ryan Reaves, the hard-hitting forward who let his play do the talking with checks and sometimes fists, announced his retirement from the NHL on Wednesday.
Reaves, 39, said on Instagram that “Father Time remains undefeated,” as he ends his career after a 962-game stint in the NHL with seven different teams.
“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 said. “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. There are too many to single out, so you’ll hear from me at some point.”
A Winnipeg, Manitoba, native, Reaves was a fifth-round pick of the St. Louis Blues in 2005. He played his junior hockey with the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League, the junior team once ran by the Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon.
Reaves played the first seven years of his career with the Blues before he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in June 2017.
Less than eight months later, Reaves was traded to the Knights in February 2018 and became the enforcer on the expansion team that stunned the NHL.
Reaves scored the game-winning goal in the clinching Game 5 of the Western Conference Final against his hometown Winnipeg Jets, sending the Knights to the Stanley Cup Final in their first season.
Reaves also scored the game-tying goal in the third period of the Knights’ Game 1 victory over the Washington Capitals in the Cup Final.
The bruising fourth-line forward went on to play 209 games with the Knights. Only the Blues (419) had him for more games.
Reaves totaled 140 points and 1,137 penalty minutes in his career and fought 78 times in the NHL.
“Every hit, every fight, it’s taken its final toll on me,” Reaves said. “I love this sport more than almost anything in this world. It has taken me to places I never thought I’d go and has introduced me to people I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. The fans, the haters, the ups, the downs — I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
Reaves was traded to the New York Rangers in 2021. He followed with stints with Minnesota, Toronto and San Jose.
Reaves kept his home in Las Vegas following the trade to the Rangers. He also co-founded his 7Five Brewing Company in Southern Nevada.
“I may not be on the ice anymore, but I know I will always be close to hockey in one way or another,” Reaves said. “You can rest easy knowing the corners are a little safer today. Mic drop, gloves drop. Reavo out.”
Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.