When recently traded forward Ryan Reaves said, “… the whole city wanted me out of there,” it confirmed something that most fans already knew was true about Toronto — it’s not the easiest place to play. Reaves’ exit came after Mitch Marner chose to leave via free agency, ditching his hometown Leafs for the tax-free spotlight in Vegas. New challenges await Marner, but the lights shine in a different way there. Ryan O’Reilly chose to go to Nashville after trying Toronto. Luke Schenn left, too. Others have struggled under the pressure cooker that is the center of the hockey universe. As Marner said, “You get treated like gods” when things are great. When they aren’t, it’s another story. Reaves wasn’t being overly dramatic — he was being honest. And, as much as Leafs fans and the team are fine to see him leave (along with his overpriced contract), his exit does raise a very valid question: How will these new faces handle the pressure? Among the new faces are Matias Maccelli, Nicolas Roy, Henry Thrun, and a few otRead More
What if Ryan Reaves was right? Maple Leafs could have big problem
