What Makes a Team Click? Ryan Reaves Might Have the Answer

""I mean, I'm probably the loudest person on every aspect of this team. I think Mar [Mario Ferraro] would be a very close second. Me and Mar have some really good arguments in the back of the plane, too," he said."

""The last one was Joey Chestnut. Is Joey Chestnut an elite athlete? And I said, 'He's not an athlete; he's a ... an entertainer.' Yeah, whatever you want to call him.""

""He's not an athlete, but he [Ferraro] says he puts his body through something. I was like, I get that, but you're just eating hot dogs. Mar is saying he's an elite athlete. I strongly disagree with that," said Reaves"

Ryan Reaves serves as a loud, opinionated presence on the San Jose Sharks who frequently engages in playful debates with Mario Ferraro during flights and road trips. Those exchanges include arguments over whether competitive eater Joey Chestnut qualifies as an elite athlete, with Reaves calling Chestnut more of an entertainer. The dynamic illustrates the team's competitive, teasing chemistry and mutual familiarity. Reaves brings extensive veteran locker-room experience, emphasizes the importance of team dinners and on-road togetherness, and views those rituals as essential for bonding and developing identity during a rebuilding season.

Read at Fear the Fin