The New York Rangers have traded forward Ryan Reaves to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for a 2025 fifth-round draft selection, Daily Faceoff‘s Frank Seravalli reported Wednesday.
Reaves, 35, is one of the National Hockey League’s most physical players. He did not record a point while averaging 8:27 in 12 games with the Rangers this season.
#mnwild are getting Ryan Reaves from #NYR in exchange for a 2025 5th round pick.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) November 23, 2022
ESPN’s Kevin Weekes was first to report the news of Reaves going to Minnesota; Seravalli subsequently confirmed the return.
The Rangers acquired Reaves from the Vegas Golden Knights in July 2021, sending a 2022 third-round pick the Knights’ way to complete the transaction. Reaves subsequently signed a one-year, $1.75 million extension to keep him under contract with the Rangers through the end of the 2022–23 season.
The Wild have now traded draft picks for physical depth wingers in consecutive seasons, having sent the Anaheim Ducks a 2023 third-round selection last trade deadline to acquire Nicolas Deslauriers.
The St. Louis Blues originally selected Reaves in the fifth round (No. 156 overall) of the 2005 NHL Draft. He made the jump to the NHL with the Blues in 2010–11 and spent parts of seven seasons with the team before being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2017.
After just 58 games in Pittsburgh, Reaves joined the inaugural Golden Knights in a midseason trade. He scored two goals in 10 playoff games as Vegas reached the 2018 Stanley Cup Final against the Washington Capitals.
In 767 career games over parts of 13 NHL seasons with St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Vegas, and the New York Rangers, Reaves has amassed 54 goals, 114 points, and 992 penalty minutes. He’s added three goals and eight points (plus 100 PIMs) in 102 career playoff contests.
Reaves is on an expiring contract and will be eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next July. The Wild currently rank sixth in the NHL’s Central Division with an 8–8–2 record through 18 games.