In a post on his Instagram account, Reaves wrote a heartfelt message to the game of hockey.
"It’s hard to put into words what you meant to me. What you mean to me.
"I had dreams of being an athlete. Football, hockey—it didn’t matter. I learned at a young age that I just wanted to lay people out. The physical part of sports was what I was always drawn to. I knew that’s what I wanted, but tell 10-year-old Reavo he was going to play in the NHL for 16 seasons? I don’t think he’d believe you."
Selected by the St. Louis Blues in the fifth round (No. 156) of the 2005 NHL Draft, Reaves had 140 points (66 goals, 74 assists) in 962 regular-season games for the Blues, Pittsburgh Penguins, Vegas Golden Knights, New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Toronto Maple Leafs and Sharks and nine points (three goals, six assists) in 113 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
"It’s hard to make this League. It’s even harder to stay in it. For everything I put into my 16 years, the game gave me back x1,000.
"But unfortunately, Father Time remains undefeated. Every hit, every fight, it’s taken its final toll on me. I love this sport more than almost anything in this world. It has taken me to places I never thought I’d go and has introduced me to people I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. The fans, the haters, the ups, the downs ... I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
"I never thought this day would come. I thought I was invincible. I thought I could play forever, but like all good things, it must come to an end."
Reaves spent seven of his 16 seasons with the Blues, accounting for 419 games.
He had two goals in 10 playoff games in 2018, including the tiebreaking goal in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final against the Winnipeg Jets, when the Golden Knights lost to the Washington Capitals in five games in the Stanley Cup Final.
As part of his message, he also thanked those who have supported him throughout his career.
"Today, I retire from the sport I’ve loved since I was 5 years old. It was a hell of a ride. Thank you to everyone who supported me throughout this journey. There are too many to single out, so you’ll hear from me at some point. I may not be on the ice anymore, but I know I will always be close to hockey in one way or another. You can rest easy knowing the corners are a little safer today.
"Mic drop, gloves drop. Reavo out."
