Ryan Reaves’ brutal hit against Darnell Nurse, which earned him a five-game suspension, has been the talk of the NHL in recent days. However, Reaves’ classy gesture toward his opponent has also sparked reactions from fans.
The controversial incident occurred during this weekend’s game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Edmonton Oilers.
In a tight and intense matchup, less than a minute after the Oilers scored to take a 2-1 lead, Ryan Reaves tried to energize his team by delivering a big hit on Darnell Nurse.
Reaves’ big hit on Nurse
Nurse was controlling the puck near the Oilers’ net and attempting to exit the defensive zone when Reaves stepped up. However, Reaves made contact only with Nurse’s head, forcing the Oilers defenseman to be helped off the ice by his teammates and medical staff.
Nurse did not return to the game. Reaves was ejected, and on Sunday, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety (DoPS) handed him a five-game suspension.
Ryan Reaves’ great gesture
Despite the controversy, Reaves demonstrated some sportsmanship. Top NHL insider Elliotte Friedman shared on his account on X (formerly Twitter) after the game that Reaves went to Edmonton’s locker room during the third period to apologize to Nurse face-to-face.
Although many fans were furious with Reaves’ hit, they praised him for apologizing.
“I’ll give Reaves credit; that’s classy to do that after everything,” one user said on social media.
“I hope he will be okay, and good on Reaves for apologizing,” another said.
“Good for Reaves,” a third added.
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