Maple Leafs' Ryan Reaves once caught strays from poker champion Daniel Negreanu

Poker legend Daniel Negreanu once took a playful jab at Toronto Maple Leafs' Ryan Reaves, commenting on his struggles in the NHL in a lighthearted manner.

During the 2024 World Poker Championship in Las Vegas in May, Nashville Predators' Jonathan Marchessault made his debut in competitive poker during the Champions Reunion event.

Marchessault sat with poker legend Negreanu, who spoke about both poker strategy and the NHL. Negreanu said:

"This is a spot where I can be the big guy, you know. One of my favorite move you used to do a lot more, I don't know if you didn't always score, but you'd always take the puck up, up the boards, and then, like, right to the blue line, and then just *****'n fire a shot on net. It's a good ****in play. Cause nobody sees it coming, and then you know random rebounds happen.

During their conversation, the poker legend sifted the conversation to NHL players, specifically targeting the Leafs' enforcer. Negreanu playfully remarked:

"If you have some big guys. Like Reavo (Reaves). He went to Toronto. They benched him over there now. He goes around the league and gets benched. He goes around league...he won't like that."

How long has Ryan Reaves been with the Leafs?

Edmonton Oilers v Toronto Maple Leafs - Source: Getty

Reaves joined the Maple Leafs as a free agent last year. He subsequently signed a three-year, $4.05 million contract with the club, which runs till 2025, when he'll become an unrestricted free agent.

In his first season with the club, Ryan Reaves garnered six points through four goals and two assists in 49 regular season games. The 37-year-old enforcer was drafted No. 156 overall by the St. Louis Blues in the 2005 NHL draft.

Reaves has played for multiple teams throughout his career, which includes the Vegas Golden Knights, Pittsburgh Penguins, Minnesota Wild, and New York Rangers, in addition to the Leafs and Blues.

In his 14-year NHL career, Reaves has accumulated 135 points through 63 goals and 72 assists in 877 games, with a plus-47.