June 9, 2022

Reaves Family Set for Big Sports Night on Saturday

Saturday will be quite the night for Jordan Reaves and his family.

At 6 p.m. MDT, his brother Ryan Reaves and the New York Rangers tangle with the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 6 of the NHL Eastern Conference final, with a trip to the Stanley Cup Final potentially in the balance.

At 7 p.m. MDT, his wife Amber Balcaen races in the Calypso Lemonade 150, where the stockcar driver is poised for a breakthrough performance on the ARCA Menards Series following a career-best result two weeks ago.

And then at 8 p.m. MDT, defensive lineman Jordan Reaves makes his return to the CFL with the Edmonton Elks, who kick off their 2022 regular season schedule, taking on the B.C. Lions at B.C. Place in Vancouver. Elks fans can tune into their favourite team live on 630 CHED and TSN.

“It’s a busy weekend for us,” says Jordan Reaves, who will be switching back and forth between spectator to player on Saturday night.

“I’ll be able to watch a little bit (of the Rangers game and the race) right before (the Elks game),” Jordan Reaves says. “I’m focused on the game but at the same time, I can take my mind away for just a couple seconds to check in on them. At halftime I’ll come in right away, check the score, check my wife’s race, and then get back to football, and then after the game, same thing, check to see what happened.”

These are special times for one of Canada’s top athletic families, who each are showing a different positive element sport and competition: Balcaen’s progression; Ryan Reaves’ team’s performance; Jordan Reaves’ individual perseverance.

“We all keep in contact,” Jordan Reaves says. “I talk to my brother and my wife every day, so we’re just each other’s cheerleaders.”

Balcaen is in her first season on the ARCA Menards Series circuit and had her best result yet two weeks ago when she finished seventh at the General Tire 150. Excluding a DNF, the rookie with Rette Jones Racing has improved her result in every race thus far in 2022.

The Rangers are tied 2-2 in their best-of-seven series with the Lightning, and if New York can knock off Tampa Bay, forward Ryan Reaves will be headed to the championship series with a chance to win the first Stanley Cup of his 12-year NHL career.

One of many exciting free-agent signings made by Elks general manager and head coach Chris Jones during the offseason, Jordan Reaves has missed the last couple seasons with injury. His regular season debut with the Green and Gold will be his first CFL game action since with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2018.

“I love the guys,” says Jordan Reaves says of his new teammates. “I’m feeling a lot more comfortable with them out here now too, and it takes a couple days, but we’ll get the chemistry together and I think it’s going to be a pretty promising season for us.”

Edmonton fans needn’t worry about Jordan Reaves’ mind being anywhere else than between the lines while the Elks are playing the Lions on Saturday.

“Over the years of being professional you just learn to tune stuff out and tune stuff in, so as I step on that field I don’t think about any other thing than football, and as soon as I come off that field I don’t think about football, so you’ve just got to find that healthy balance,” Jordan Reaves says “I’ve just learned it over the years, it’s really easy for me that as soon as I get on that turf I’m focused on football only.”