Frustrated by the lack of fights this season, the Maple Leafs winger was relieved to finally square off with Mathieu Olivier of the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday.

“It felt good,” Reaves said. “It’s been a frustrating season with the lack of fights.”

“I wasn’t sure how it would go, but it felt like I was in mid-season form. My technique felt solid, the punches were good, and I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. After that, I felt like I could really play.”

Reaves hadn’t fought since April 6, when he had a bout with Michael Pezzetta of the Montreal Canadiens. So why did his first fight of the 2024-25 season come so late, before his 30th game?

Reaves pointed to several tough opponents who weren’t in the lineup for games against the Leafs, while others, like the Canadiens’ Arber Xhekaj, showed no interest in fighting when Reaves was ready.

“There haven’t been many chances,” Reaves explained. “There are guys in this league you respect. Olivier didn’t have to drop the gloves with me.”

“When a guy does that, I’m always ready to return the favor if he needs it. I’ve got a lot of respect for guys who do their job like that.”

After the 5-1 loss to the Blue Jackets, Leafs captain Auston Matthews mentioned he had hoped to hear more energy from the “quiet” crowd following the fight.

Reaves wasn’t overly concerned.

“I heard them chanting ‘Reavo’ during the fight, which was nice,” he said. “This crowd can be great, but sometimes they’re not feeling it, just like we’re not always feeling it. We like when they bring the energy. We definitely feed off of it.”