Reaves Supports Celebrini as Captain, Talks Love for Sharks Fans & Goodrow

Reaves, on how the chemistry was built in the San Jose Sharks room this year:

Well, it’s not just one person, it’s just everybody buying into loving each other on and off the ice. When you really like each other off the ice, it starts translating on ice—when you have fun off the ice, you have fun on the ice. I think it takes 25 guys to create that, and it takes from the coaching staff all the way up to the GM to start that. Then obviously, the players got to grab a hold of it. It’s not just one guy.

Reaves, on Barclay Goodrow crying about Reaves after the Mar. 21 game:

I mean, I think that was coming out a lot from me. I was a little emotional after that. I didn’t know how the rest of my career was going to play out. I knew the season was probably over for me, unless we made a good run. Goody’s a really good friend of mine. He’s been a good friend, me and him. We did everything in New York together, and we seem to do everything together in San Jose. Our families are very close. It was a touching moment for me, for sure. I love that guy.

Reaves, on bridging the gap between the veterans and the younger players:

Dumbing it down a little bit, I think. Stoopin’ to their level. I’m not as mature as you guys think I am, I like to goof around a lot, so just kind of enjoying the stuff they enjoy, trying to get in on some of the stupid stuff they say. I think you just have to try and enjoy what they’re doing.

Reaves, on whether the culture came from fighting for a common goal:

I mean, I think if you’re gonna make a run and you’re really gonna change the culture of something, everybody’s got to be accepted for who they are. You can’t just look at one guy and be like, “Yeah, he’s kind of weird, you know, shove him to the side.” I think everybody’s got to play a role somewhere on the team, and everybody’s got to really embrace every role that’s on there. I think that’s starting here.

Reaves, on the most fun thing he did with the team off the ice this season:

For me, the Book of Mormon. That was a highlight for me, just watching the boys laugh. I think I was actually sitting next to Mack and Smitty, and they were having a good time, so I enjoyed that.

Reaves, on Zack Ostapchuk:

I mean, a lot. When he came here, the stuff he did for this team, he was playing a heavy game, very good on the kill. His speed, his physicality from when he came here earlier in the season to the last couple months, I think you guys saw as much as I did how much he really started growing into that role. You need depth players like that. He’s good in the face-off. He’s going to be a big part of this team, for sure.

Reaves, on how the desire to win the Cup factors into his decision to continue playing:

Well, I’ve made it clear that this is where I want to be first. 1,000 games will be nice, but with a little bit of tweaking, I think this is a Stanley Cup team as well. I would rather get the Stanley Cup. I think everybody, every kid, grows up looking for a Stanley Cup before they even think about 1,000 games. To get both would be even better. Like I said, I loved my time here, I hope it works out to come back. I guess we’ll find out soon.

Reaves, on whether it’s possible the San Jose Sharks are a serious contender next year:

I mean, look at the growth and the steps between where this team finished last year compared to this year. You eliminate the beginning of the season, those six games, you just eliminate that right there, and we’re in the playoffs. There’s a couple other games where we let it slide and that, and that’s part of growing as an organization, is realizing every point matters throughout the season. There’s some games where we could have had and those points would have got us into the playoffs too. Like I said, you tweak the lineup a little bit, which a team that doesn’t make the playoffs, there’s always going to be some tweaking, but, yeah, you do a little tweak, and this team, the sky’s the limit.

Reaves, on what the team can learn from the recent hard losses:

Just how hard it is to play down the stretch there. That’s as close as you’re going to get to playoffs without it being the playoffs. Teams are fighting for position—teams are fighting to get in, teams are fighting to stay in, teams are fighting to be on top and have an easier playoff opponent. Those games are very intense, we have players that haven’t experienced that, so it’s an eye opener, but you go home and you realize that and now you work a little harder, and you get ready for that time of year. Then,you carry that into the playoffs.

Reaves, on how he’s feeling about his pinky:

I was more worried because I just didn’t think I was gonna be able to get back this season. Obviously, I don’t have a contract coming into next season, so in my mind, it could have been my last game. I hope it’s not, and I don’t think it is, but I think it was just a tough game for me.

Reaves, on how the injury happened:

I think I lost my grip. I went to grab him, twisted, and as I went to twist and pull him in, he was kind of falling, so I think my pinky was just kind of going in three different directions. I ended up blowing it up and broke it into seven pieces that the doc had to put back together like a little Lego piece. She did very well, and she showed me the X ray. It’s straight-ish, so it should function.

Reaves, on what happened immediately after:

I did right after. I had to wait anyway, because you can’t drink or eat anything before a surgery. I yell a lot on the bench, and I didn’t want them to lose that aspect. It could have been the last time sitting on the bench. I wanted to be there supporting the boys, and I don’t like sitting out games. When I’m dressed, I like to be there.

Reaves, on his family’s support for his career:

I’ve asked them many times if it’s time to help coach my son’s team and just be around a little bit more, and they have given me absolute no. I don’t know if they don’t like me around or what it is, but—my son loves being around the rink, my daughter loves being around the rink. I think my wife knows how hard I’ve worked to try and win a Cup and win and get to 1000 games. I think she knows how grumpy I’ll be if I miss it, and she doesn’t want to deal with that. They’ve supported me, and they want me to keep going, which makes the decision a lot easier for me. I think if you know my kids are crying and saying, “We want you around,” I think it’s a little bit harder, because they’re getting to that age.

Reaves, on what makes the San Jose Sharks organization special to him:

Well, it was special for me, because I think I was so hated here before, and I feel like I’m not as hated anymore. It was a place that I always thought I would never be able to play, just because of that rivalry, and I loved every second of it. I think that little bit of a turnaround from where we started to where we’re at now, I think made it special for me. Everybody in this organization—you mentioned Mikey [Aldrich], just a great guy—all the staff here, they make it really fun to come to the rink. I’ve been in places where, sometimes, you’re like, “Ah, I got to go to the practice rink.” That’s not like that here. I loved every second coming to this rink and working with these guys.

Reaves, on how he enjoyed being involved with the team:

Guys play power play, penalty kill, they play 20 minutes a night. Like I said before, everybody’s got a role. My role was, it’s not always the most minutes, but I try to bring energy when I can on and off the ice. Whether I was scratched or injured, I’m going to be there to lead the boys out and get them hyped or whatever they need from me. That’s just kind of been my role my whole career, so I love doing it. I wouldn’t change it.

Reaves, on whether he thinks Macklin Celebrini is ready to be captain:

I mean, I don’t know what else he could possibly do. We’ve talked about it before. His leadership on the ice, I’ve seen it before. I saw it in a guy named Sidney Crosby, number one, so it’s a pretty good comparison.

See the full interview here

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