I understand people's concerns when it comes to the price tag but I don't agree with those that believe he is a liability or unfit for the fourth line. Dating back to his time in St. Louis and onward, I've never noticed him as a defensive problem. In fact, there's shifts where his physicality is able to turn momentum.
I think people are underestimating what having Reaves in the lineup will do. I don't see any team taking liberties on a Gaudreau or a Lindholm or whoever if Reaves is on the bench. We're talking about the best fighter in the league. Additionally, we're looking at someone who would play about half the season. That's half the wear and tear on a player's body which means he is more capable of giving it 100% every night and fully committing to his style of game. The Ferlands and Boumas and Hathaways are perfect examples that you cannot sustain a hyper-physical, aggressive game for 82 games; it's unfair to expect of those guys. Having Reaves would also take the weight off of Tkachuk/Gio/Hamonic's shoulders when it comes to sticking up for teammates in the course of a rough game.
Reaves wouldn't automatically turn us from a soft team into the most feared in the league or anything, but he would have a considerable impact in my opinion. I'd be thrilled if we could sign him.
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