Ryan Reaves has been in many fights during his NHL career, but none has been as ugly and meaningless as the one on Sunday against the Coyotes’ Boko Imama. On paper, the fight could only be great.
Reaves is one of the toughest guys in the league, and Bokondji Imama also brings some well-needed physical presence to the Coyotes.
But the duo left everyone extremely disappointed.
The Minnesota Wild and Arizona Coyotes contest was just three minutes old when Ryan Reaves steamrolled Coyotes defenseman Juuso Valimaki. Boko Imama immediately went for redemption as he dropped the gloves with Reaves.
The two heavyweights stood face to face, and then… nothing happened. Nobody made the first move, and when Imama finally went for a shot at Reaves, he missed, and following a headlock grip by Reaves, officials stepped in and separated the both of them.
When Ryan Reaves was interviewed after the first period, he firmly stated that it wasn’t even a fight.
Reaves was also laughing right after the officials stepped in, and fans slammed the ”fight” on social media.
”Craziest fight I’ve ever seen in the national. Take this out of our sport,” one user said jokingly.
”That’s really too bad. Imama had some good tilts while in Tucson. Maybe a bit nervous for this one?” Another responded.
”After a big hit in the corner, Ryan Reaves and Boko Imama get in the least eventful “fight” in NHL history,” Twitter account Hockey Daily 365 wrote.
One user on Reddit even called it ”one of the worst fights in NHL history.”
