Often players are taken and run through the grinder when it comes to being a a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and with that often comes a level of scrutiny only reserved for the most passionate of fan bases.
So it's understandable that Ryan Reaves had some harsh comments regarding the media and the way they act towards players in a slump. Speaking of the Spittin
Chiclets podcast, Reaves talked about the difficulty of playing in Toronto under such a microscope:
It's not a secret that Toronto has one of the most passionate and loyal fanbases in the world, however, it often feels like the tiniest little mistake becomes the end of the line for the Maple Leafs. The media needs to relax a bit when it comes to the scrutiny; not everyone is perfect and players have off nights. It would be difficult to give an unbiased look especially when nitpicking everything for one team, and not the other.
Ryan Reaves has made himself a name in Toronto, not by scoring goals but by fighting and creating an intimidating presence. If the Toronto Maple Leafs want to set the tone for the media, they should look to Reaves to speak for them; knowing he won't give any guff or any s-word to what they think.