Reid was a surprising player to slide down the draft as he was selected seventh overall by the Kraken. There is not a lot of room on that back end for Reid to come in right away, but he will eventually become the top defenseman on that team, which will be sooner rather than later.

Reid’s is likely to hear his name called very early in next month’s NHL Draft. The 18-year-old defenseman scored at a point-per-game clip, netting 18 goals and totaling 48 points in 45 games for the Soo Greyhounds (OHL) during the 2025-26 campaign. Reid totaled six points in 10 OHL playoff games, finishing with a plus-3 plus-minus rating. The 6-2 righty is expected to join the Michigan State Spartans for his first college season during 2026-27.

Reid burst onto the scene last season, establishing himself as the No. 1 defenceman on a playoff-bound Soo Greyhounds. That fact becomes more impressive when you remember he joined them from Jr. A with over a third of the season already past and still reached a point-per-game. He’s already seen as a top ten pick and could easily build a better case over the season.

Preliminary Rankings-Reid possesses a great combination of size and skill across all 200-feet of the ice surface. He is an intelligent and mobile two-way, right-shot defenseman who knows when to act and where to be. He has a heavy shot which he likes to showcase from the point, especially on the man advantage. Inside the offensive zone, he knows when to pinch up and support the offense. He showcases a high-end level of vision with an ability to find open teammates in good scoring areas. These traits, combined with his mobility, help him as a puck transporter, sometimes opting to take the puck up the ice himself and carrying it across both bluelines. Reid also has some flair to his game, flashing some deceptive ability, faking out his opponents and opening up space. On the defensive end, he uses his feet and an active stick to keep a tight gap, staying above the opposition and knocking it loose. He also does well at keeping the opposing player to the outside. His 6-2 and 185 lbs gives Reid a strong frame to work from and provides projectability, but all of his other high-end skills set his ceiling sky high.

Reid is a 6-2 RHD with a strong skating base underneath him. While he’s mostly leaned on quick passes up ice to start transition, Reid’s shown he’s capable of creating entries on his own when he’s confident. Offensively, he relies too much on his shot, but he’s still a strong playmaker. Reid’s defence also came a long way over the year. All in all, Reid’s a good bet to go high come June.