I think it's telling that Blues fans are unanimously praising Reaves. We're not looking at this with blue-tinted goggles; he truly was a fan favorite here.
None of us are arguing that this wasn't an overpayment. We are thrilled to have picked up Kostin in return. But some of the comparisons here are ridiculous and are clearly being made by people who have not watched Ryan Reaves play.
It's true that he brings little offense, and we can have a legitimate argument as to whether he was a necessary addition to a Cup-winning team, but the truth is (1) he can skate; (2) he is not a dirty player; and (3) he doesn't take many bad penalties.
There is no doubt that Reaves is a player in the vein of a traditional fourth liner (though one of the best in that mold in the NHL), but he also is, in alignment with the philosophies of many teams, cognizant of the changes in the game. He had a really good quote last year in which he mentioned that while in the past, if he had the choice of getting the puck or dishing out a big hit, he would always go for the big hit, but that now, he instead focuses on getting the puck.
We loved watching him with the Blues, and he will be missed.