SAN JOSE – Two San Jose Sharks players became emotional on Saturday when talking about teammate Ryan Reaves, who, despite sustaining an apparent dislocated finger in a first-period fight with forward Garrett Wilson, remained on the team’s bench for the remainder of its game against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Reaves and Wilson fought just 1:48 into the first period, squaring off in a brief but spirited tilt.

Reaves injured his left hand in the fight, and needed some help from the linesmen just to release his grip on Wilson after the two separated. Reaves then returned to the Sharks’ bench to have his finger put back into place by a trainer, and later had to go back to the team’s dressing room.

Reaves returned to the Sharks’ bench for the start of the second period but played only one more 13-second shift in what became a 4-1 loss to the Flyers before an announced sellout crowd of 17,435 at SAP Center.

Postgame, coach Ryan Warsofsky didn’t have a health update on the 39-year-old Reaves, whose impact on the Sharks this season, in his 16th year in the NHL, has gone well beyond his play on the ice.

“Reavo, he’s been doing that his whole career. Unbelievable teammate,” an emotional Barclay Goodrow said of Reaves’ support. “He’s a guy that brings it all every night. Great, great friend.

“He’s the best guy. Even when he’s not playing, he’s there for everyone. He always works his butt off every day. I think everyone in the room can learn a lot from a guy like that.”

Barclay Goodrow got emotional when talking about how much Ryan Reaves means to this team 🥹 pic.twitter.com/NQxv1r79Bm

— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) March 21, 2026

The Sharks acquired Reaves from the Toronto Maple Leafs in July for defenseman Henry Thrun. Reaves, in the second year of a three-year contract, played just 35 games for the Leafs last season before being put on waivers in March.

Reaves wanted a change of scenery, and quickly after his arrival in San Jose, became a unifying presence in the Sharks’ locker room, and has played in 50 of the team’s 68 games so far this season.

“He leads on the ice, he leads off the ice, he leads on the bench,” Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro said. “It means a lot to have him stay out there with us despite the injury or what happened during the game.”

Ferraro recalled the Sharks’ home game against the Ottawa Senators on Nov. 22 when he absorbed an illegal hit from Hayden Hodgson. Reaves then fought the 6-foot-2, 226-pound Hodgson midway through the second period.

“That stuff kind of gives you goosebumps,” Ferraro said. “I’m going to kind of get a little emotional about it, to be honest. But he’s just one of those guys who is willing to do whatever for the team, and even if that means staying on the bench, and he’s not going out there, he’s pumping us up, he’s leading all the time. So, he brings that energy.”

Reaves always brings the smoke 😤 pic.twitter.com/7uraadgHuB

— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) March 21, 2026

The Sharks have 14 games left and will enter Sunday just outside a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

“We’re really grateful to have had him around this year,” Ferraro said, “and he’s going to continue to help us push for this playoff spot.”

Reaves is a pending unrestricted free agent and is now 38 games shy of 1,000 for his NHL career. A fifth-round draft pick by the St. Louis Blues, Reaves has spoken about how he’d like to hit that milestone.

The Sharks are Reaves’ seventh NHL team. Along with his time in Toronto, he spent seven years in St. Louis, four years with the Vegas Golden Knights, and brief stints with the New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, and Pittsburgh Penguins.

“Heart and soul, for sure,” Sharks defenseman John Klingberg said of Reaves. “I’ve been lucky enough to be on three teams with him — Minnesota, Toronto, and now here — and you just can’t not like a guy like that. He brings it every night. Even if he’s not playing or if he’s playing, he’s there for the boys, he’s sticking up for the boys.

“I think a lot of things that you see going well this year, he’s got a hand in it behind the scenes. So, he’s been huge for this team.”