Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ryan Reaves has been suspended for five games without pay for an illegal check to the head of Edmonton Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse.

Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube isn’t thrilled that he won’t have winger Ryan Reaves for the next five games. Berube, though, understands where the National Hockey League was coming from when it announced a five-game suspension for Reaves on Sunday afternoon.

Toronto Maple Leafs veteran forward Ryan Reaves was suspended Sunday for five games, the NHL announced, after an illegal check to the head of Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse on Saturday night in his club's 4-3 victory at Scotiabank Arena.