Wild’s Ryan Reaves open to fighting former Rangers teammates

With Reaves well-known for his physicality and fighting, there was some question as to whether he’d let up on his former New York Rangers teammates, but Reaves let everyone know that that loyalty lasted only as long as he was wearing the Rangers jersey.

“I’d be happy to go 2-on-1, to be honest. That’s what it’s gonna take,” said Reaves during a media scrum after a morning skate before Tuesday’s game.

Wednesday will be Reaves’ first game against the Rangers and first game in New York since he was traded to the Wild on Nov. 25. The Rangers got a 2025 fifth-round pick in return for the forward. Reaves had five goals, eight assists and 13 points in 81 regular-season games with the Rangers and was held pointless in all 18 games he played in their Eastern Conference Final run last season.

Reaves has four assists in 32 games this season between the Rangers and Wild, although he’s not one known for his scoring. He was held pointless in his 12 games with the Rangers, so all four of his assists have come in 20 games with the Wild.

A fifth-round pick for the St. Louis Blues in 2005, Reaves has spent parts of 13 seasons with the Blues, Pittsburgh Penguins, Vegas Golden Knights, Rangers and Wild, including seven with the Blues and four with the Golden Knights. He’s currently on a one-year, $1.75 million contract and set to become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason.

Reaves also talked about the trade request he made earlier this season with the Rangers during the scrum, hinting that it wasn’t as clear-cut as it was portrayed by calling it “a half truth and a half lie.” Reaves said the trade had been in the works with the Wild before he was made aware, and he believed the communication process could have been a lot better.