During his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Mitch Marner didn’t just share the ice with seasoned veterans—he eventually became one himself. Now, both he and fellow franchise cornerstone Auston Matthews will be missing another familiar face, as one of their former teammates departs to join Macklin Celebrini and the San Jose Sharks.
The player in question is Ryan Reaves, a 15-year NHL veteran, who was traded to the Sharks after spending just two seasons in Toronto. Reaves appeared in only 35 games during the most recent 2024–25 campaign, contributing 2 assists.
It was a busy day of roster moves for the Sharks, who not only acquired Reaves in a trade but also signed goaltender Jakub Skarek as a free agent, giving the 24-year-old a chance to make the NHL roster next season.
Reaves finds out mid-event
Reaves wasn’t at home—or even in Toronto—when he heard the news. He was attending a Vegas Golden Knights meet-and-greet when word of the trade broke. “They may start hating me soon because I just got traded to the Sharks,” Reaves said jokingly, before adding that he’ll miss sharing the ice with Marner.
“Golden misfit Ryan Reaves was traded from Toronto to San Jose while at a VGK fan meet-and-greet. On the Mitch Marner trade, he says Vegas will ‘love him. I’m jealous I’m not playing with him anymore,'” reported Nick Walters for KTNV.
What can Reaves bring to the Sharks?
At this stage in his career, Reaves isn’t expected to play a full 70-plus game schedule like he did in his younger days. But with over a decade of NHL experience, he can still provide physicality and veteran leadership—qualities the Sharks could use after a rough season that saw them give up 310 goals.