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Ryan Reaves bids farewell to Golden Knights fans

Legend has it that Ryan Reaves once told a team he was the solution to their Tom Wilson problem.

It certainly sounds like something that would come from the mouth of the boisterous winger. There’s just one issue.

“I never said that,” Reaves noted. “See, people make quotes for me. But I guess if you do have a Tom Wilson problem, I can handle that. It is true.”

Reaves bid farewell to Golden Knights fans on Wednesday night, signing autographs and posing for pictures at Park MGM before a send-off party at On The Record Speakeasy and Club as part of the venue’s weekly industry night.

The fan favorite was traded last month to the New York Rangers for a third-round pick in 2022, a move Reaves saw coming but was disappointing nonetheless.

“They made some trades that kind of put the writing on the wall it was time for me to go,” Reaves said. “When you don’t win the Stanley Cup, there’s always going to be some changes. And, we haven’t won. We’ve been close. Sorry, Vegas has been close the last couple of years.

“It’s just part of the business.”

Reaves, 34, has been reunited with former Knights coach Gerard Gallant, who was hired by the Rangers this summer to guide a young but talented team. Reaves also signed a one-year extension through the 2022-23 season, something the Knights weren’t in a position to offer.

Reaves said he visited the Rangers after the 2017-18 season when he was an unrestricted free agent before ultimately re-signing with the Knights. Over the years, Rangers fans have been among the most vocal on Reaves’ social media accounts.

“I get a lot of tweets from Rangers fans saying, ‘Let’s get Ryan Reaves.’ Like, no team ever says that, you know what I mean?” Reaves said. “So, I feel like I’m kind of wanted by the fans there already, which is nice coming into a place where you’re wanted.”

In New York, Reaves is scheduled to face Wilson and Metropolitan Division rival Washington three times, including opening night.

Wilson set off a near riot against the Rangers on May 3 when he punched Pavel Buchnevich and rag-dolled Artemi Panarin to the ice, earning a fine from the NHL. Two nights later, the Rangers retaliated by starting a line brawl off the opening faceoff.

Since then, the Rangers fired general manager Jeff Gorton, and the team’s lack of toughness reportedly was a reason. Forward Barclay Goodrow and defenseman Jarred Tinordi were signed as free agents to add a physical element. Power forward Sammy Blais arrived in a deal with St. Louis in addition to Reaves, who has a long history of run-ins with Wilson.

“I come in and I make sure the guys feel protected and make sure they feel safe going up and down the ice,” Reaves said. “When there’s an issue, that’s my role to deal with. I’m sure that event last year kind of sparked a lot of it. But, I’m not going out there head-hunting for Tom Wilson.”

Reaves set the standard for future enforcers with the Knights, dishing out plenty of crowd-pleasing hits and fisticuffs in his three-plus seasons.

He scored the goal that clinched a berth in the Stanley Cup Final during the Knights’ inaugural season, and his feud with San Jose forward Evander Kane helped ignite one of the league’s most intense rivalries.

“I’ll always miss Evander Kane,” Reaves said. “That’s always going to be sad not seeing him play.”

Reaves also became a fixture in the community, starting a brewing company, starring in commercials for the Southern Nevada Water Authority and building a ball hockey rink at the James Boys and Girls Club of Southern Nevada.

But he was ineffective for much of last season, posting one goal and five points in 37 games before missing the final 16 games with an undisclosed injury.

In the postseason, Keegan Kolesar emerged as a regular in the lineup, and Reaves was a healthy scratch for the final three games against Montreal, signaling his time with the Knights was coming to an end.

The Knights are scheduled to visit New York on Dec. 17, and Reaves will have a few chirps ready for former teammates such as Jonathan Marchessault. Reaves will return to T-Mobile Arena with the Rangers on Jan. 6.

“I hope I impacted the team in a positive way. I hope I left part of the culture in the right way,” Reaves said. “As an older guy, you want to build a culture on the team when you’re there. And I hope I did that. I hope the fans appreciate what I tried to do in this city on and off the ice, and I just hope they know that I had a blast doing it.”

Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.

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