Ryan Reaves announced his retirement from the NHL Wednesday following a career of almost 1,000 games for one of the sport’s most feared enforcers.
Reaves, 39, played 962 games with the St. Louis Blues, Pittsburgh Penguins, Vegas Golden Knights, New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Toronto Maple Leafs and San Jose Sharks.
In an Instagram post announcing his decision, Reaves wrote: “Dear Hockey, it’s hard to put into words what you meant to me. What you mean to me. I had dreams of being an athlete. Football, hockey — it didn’t matter. I learned at a young age that I just wanted to lay people out. The physical part of sports was what I was always drawn to. I knew that’s what I wanted, but tell 10-year-old Reavo he was going to play in the NHL for 16 seasons? I don’t think he’d believe you.”
Reaves continued, “But unfortunately Father Time remains undefeated. Every hit, every fight — it’s taken its final toll on me. I love this sport more than almost anything in this world. It has taken me to places I never thought I’d go and has introduced me to people I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. The fans, the haters, the ups, the downs. I wouldn’t trade it for anything … You can rest easy knowing the corners are a little safer today. Mic drop, gloves drop. Reavo out.”
Reaves’ final NHL game on March 21, 2026, was emotional.
The Sharks forward was injured in the first period of a 4-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. He fought with the Flyers’ Garrett Wilson and then skated to his team’s bench, where trainer Will Leonard attended to him. He took one more shift later in the first period, and although he didn’t play after that, he stayed on the bench for the remainder of the game, perhaps acknowledging the end.
Reaves was the Blues’ fifth-round draft pick in 2005. In his 16-year career, he finished with 66 goals, 140 points and 1,137 penalty minutes.