"Throw the book at him": Luke Gazdic, Jennifer Botterill demand severely strict discipline against Ryan Reaves for dangerous head hit on Darnell Nurse

By Ankit Kumar

Modified Nov 17, 2024 14:54 GMT

Toronto Maple Leafs enforcer Ryan Reaves is under review for hitting Edmonton Oilers’ Darnell Nurse during Saturday's game. The hit resulted in a five-minute match penalty for Reaves and an upper-body injury for Nurse. Nurse lay on the ice after the hit. He soon got up on his knees but there was blood near his left eye. Reaves will have a hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety.

During Saturday's "Hockey Night in Canada" broadcast on Sportsnet, NHL analysts Luke Gazdic, Jennifer Botterill and Paul Bissonnette discussed the hit by Reaves.

"I don't like it at all," Gazdic said regarding Reaves' hit. "Throw the book at him, he's done it a couple times before. I think (if) you wanna stop these hits, like, get them out of the game, why not throw the book out of him?"

Botterill agreed and noted that Reaves had three previous suspensions, including one for an illegal check to the head.

"When you do make contact to the head, there needs to be consequences..." Botterill said. "I also think there potentially should be further discipline against him ... there needs to be a responsibility on the players that are delivering the hit."

"Given the fact that he (Nurse) is gonna miss time, I would expect there's gonna be a little bit more extra discipline," Bissonnette added.

The NHL is expected to consider Reaves' history when deciding the penalty.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins' comments on Ryan Reaves

Darnell Nurse left Saturday’s game against Toronto with an upper-body injury after an illegal head hit from Ryan Reaves. Nurse had played 7:45 before leaving. He entered the game with two goals, nine points, 33 hits and 31 blocks in 17 games this season.

With only 11 healthy forwards and seven defensemen, the Oilers may need an AHL call-up if Nurse and Viktor Arvidsson remain unavailable for Monday’s game against Montreal.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said Ryan Reaves should have avoided the hit.

“It’s a dangerous play and he’s gotta know that Nursey doesn’t see him coming and choose the right path there,” Hopkins said, via The Leafs Nation. “He doesn’t and it’s tough to see one of your teammates on the ice like that.”

Nurse’s absence is a setback for Edmonton, especially on defense.