LAS VEGAS — Ryan Reaves has officially retired after 16 NHL seasons and 962 regular-season games, closing a career built on toughness, personality and loyalty to teammates while confirming Las Vegas will remain his home. The forward affectionately known as "Reavo" became one of the city's most beloved athletes after arriving in February 2018 and helping the expansion Vegas Golden Knights reach the Stanley Cup Final in their remarkable inaugural season.
Reaves discussed the transition during an exclusive interview with The Hockey News at the Golden Knights' 10th-anniversary festivities. "Horrible, absolutely horrible," Reaves said with a laugh. "I'm bored. I don't know what to do with myself. Trying to fill the time in the wrong ways. So we'll see. I'm gonna get going and doing something soon." He said the relationship with Southern Nevada grew far beyond hockey. "This community opened their arms to me," Reaves said. "I started a business here, and then people flooded out to the bars when I was there, pouring beer and really supported that," he said of his beer business, 7Five Brewing Co.
"The people are just so nice here. The city is great," he said. "I don't think many people know what kind of city really lies outside that Strip. And so, yeah, we fell in love with this place. And right now I'm calling it home for sure." Reaves also pointed to the city's emergence as a major sports market with the Golden Knights, Las Vegas Aces and Las Vegas Raiders established and Major League Baseball on the horizon. "This is obviously a new sports city, but you can see how vibrant the sports city is," he said. "This place loves its sports." He noted the growth of youth hockey: "You just go around the rinks, the practice rinks and all the new rinks that are being built, and there's kids everywhere, and they love the game."
His favorite memory inside T-Mobile Arena was not a goal or a fight, but his first walk down the tunnel as a Golden Knight. "I think the first time I walked down the tunnel, that John Wick song came out. The place was absolutely erupting," Reaves recalled. "It was the coolest sporting moment I think I've seen. Not just playing in, but just being part of, seeing live." He added, "I just thought the entertainment that this place puts on is like nothing in North American sports." Reaves also credited former coach Gerard Gallant, affectionately known as "Turk," for expanding his role. "He really trusted me," Reaves said. "We played against a lot of top lines, and he trusted us in all situations. We played 10, 12 minutes as a fourth line, playing a lot of shutdown stuff." He added, "When you're more involved in the game, you feel better on the ice. Turk really just allowed me to kind of be myself and play the way I can."