Ryan Reaves is no stranger to controversial hits. The Wild winger has been suspended three times in his NHL career, and one of his most famous plays was when he took a match penalty in the 2021 playoffs for kneeing Ryan Graves in the face.
With that in mind, every big Reaves hit is going to create controversy. Wednesday against the Red Wings, Reaves added another one to his portfolio by leveling the Red Wings' Filip Hronek in open ice.
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The 6-1, 225-pound Reaves was standing tall when he took out the hunched-over Hronek; because of that, it looked as if Hronek's face took a good amount of the contact.
Huge open ice hit by Ryan Reaves 😳 pic.twitter.com/duWXcDn7aT
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) December 15, 2022
The hit raised the question of how much a check can be the recipient's fault, as Hronek seemed completely unaware of Reaves while coasting into the neutral zone. Reaves, for his part, seemed to sturdy up, but he didn't exactly charge into Hronek.
NHL Twitter was divided on who was to blame. All it knew for certain was that it was an absolute shot.
1) Yes, it is on Hronek to be aware of his surroundings.
— Brian Fisher (@BrianFisherWWJ) December 15, 2022
2) BUT it is on Reaves to not hit a player in the head
It doesn’t matter what Hronek is doing, it is in Reaves to not make head contact. The head was the principle point of contact. It’s absolutely a penatly. Cut and dry
Ryan Reaves with a massive hit. Some will cry about it being a head shot, but that isn’t at all. Not even a penalty imho. Just caught a player with his head down in the worst spot on the ice. Really unfortunate for Hronek pic.twitter.com/BHZYZK4No3
— Joe Haggerty (@HackswithHaggs) December 15, 2022
Hronek *absolutely* has to have better awareness there, *especially* with Reaves on the ice.
— Ryan Hana (@RyanHanaWWP) December 15, 2022
But responsibility falls on the guy hitting. There's a way for Reaves to deliver that hit cleanly and still punishing. I don't think he did that, at least not by modern NHL standards.
Floored by how many "perfect clean hit" replies are in here already
— Jeff Veillette (@JeffVeillette) December 15, 2022
I know some people are desperate to protect a prior era of hockey but Reaves drives straight through Hronek's face here, if you can't admit that this isn't safe then you're watching for blood lust, not the game https://t.co/DFXc1pSGS2
DEVASTATING but clean hit.
— Matt Larkin (@MLarkinHockey) December 15, 2022
Reaves blasts Hronek through the chest (watch followthrough).
Would not expect any discipline.
This is just Reaves being a freight train. https://t.co/w94WpDM5KV
I'm all for big, open ice hits. Love 'em, hope they never go away. You absolutely have to keep your head up & on a swivel in Hronek's position. Preach that constantly.
— Ryan Hana (@RyanHanaWWP) December 15, 2022
Reaves got him in the head first, and followed through high with his arms & momentum.
That was a bad hit.
there's nothing wrong with that hit imo. he's carrying the puck up the middle of the ice not paying attention and he gets hit by a guy who does everything he's supposed to to keep a hit clean. any head contact comes as a result of size difference/positioning
— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) December 15, 2022
One of the NHL's most notorious enforcers, a former Red Wing, also weighed in on the debate.
Clean hit in my day. Reaves doesn’t do anything but his job and destroys Hronek.
— Darren McCarty (@DarrenMcCarty4) December 15, 2022
Being a smaller player and leaning forward in the middle of the ice makes you a 🎯
That’s Clean and Accepted. In 1995
My issue is with @NHL because
I WAS TOLD @nealruhl THEY CARED about headshots
Reaves had more for the Wings later on:
Ryan Reaves is in bully mode tonight pic.twitter.com/euyyycEhXW
— Spoked Z (@SpokedZ) December 15, 2022
All of the hitting in the game left a Stars legend having some thoughts:
Good ‘ole fashion Norris division showdown.
— Mike Modano (@9modano) December 15, 2022
While Reaves didn't receive a penalty for the hit on Hronek, Hronek was knocked out of the game. The Red Wings later confirmed he was out for the night.
After the game, Red Wings coach Derek LaLonde absolved Reaves of blame for the hit and said Hronek was expecting a delayed penalty, hence the lack of awareness.
"I think Filip would want his play back - exposing himself," LaLonde told reporters after the game, per Joe Smith. "I talked to him quick there. He thought there was a penalty on the play. He was waiting for the goalie to come out ... I know Reaves was not malicious."
The NHL office can level discipline against Reaves despite no call being made on the ice and Hronek lacking awareness, should it disagree with LaLonde's analysis of the hit.
In the meantime, the Red Wings will be without yet another player, adding to their already-lengthy injury report. The good news, however, is Hronek reportedly asked to come back into the game following the hit, so holding him out may have been precautionary.
