Maple Leafs’ Reaves suspended five games for hit on Oilers’ Nurse

Reaves, 37, had a telephone hearing for the hit to the head he laid on Edmonton Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse on Saturday night in Toronto. Reaves received a five-minute major and a match penalty on the play.

This is the fourth suspension of his career, with the most recent coming in 2021. It will keep Reaves out of the Maple Leafs’ lineup until Dec. 4, when they host the Nashville Predators.

The Winnipeg-born Reaves will forfeit $35,156.25 in salary as a result of the suspension. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

“I think it’s a dangerous play,” said Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins after the game, which the Maple Leafs won 4-3 in overtime. “He’s got to know that Nursey doesn’t see him coming and choose the right path there. And he doesn’t. I mean, it’s tough to see one of your teammates on the ice like that. Dangerous play. You don’t ever want to see something like that.”

Added Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch, “It was contact to the head. I did see it, and that’s what I saw.”

Reaves is a veteran of 893 NHL games, dating back to the 2010-11 season when he played in St. Louis. He has a lone assist in 16 games so far this season with Toronto, while averaging 7:51 minutes of play on the fourth line.

The Maple Leafs’ next game is at home on Wednesday against the Vegas Golden Knights. Reaves will be eligible to return on Dec. 4 against the Nashville Predators.