The Kraken likely didn’t expect to see Reid still on the board as they stepped to the podium for their first pick on draft day. The top ten of the draft was always going to be defenseman-heavy, and opinions varied on how to rank them, but Reid was consistently viewed as one of the best of the bunch. So much so, in fact, that NHL Central scouting had him as the second-best North American skater, and several publications ranked him as their top defender.

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.

In Reid, the Kraken are getting a bona fide puck-mover who can also beat goalies with his shot.

Reid was a league leader in breakouts and zone entries, leveraging his superior skating to nimbly outmaneuver defenders to gain ice and enter the attacking zone. This forces defenders to respect the rush, giving him the option of passing or shooting to pressure goaltenders to consider both options.

Reid finished the year ranked fifth in goals by blue liners in the OHL in his draft year, despite playing at least ten fewer games than the four players ahead of him, all of whom were 19 and 20 years old. From an assist standpoint, Reid’s 30 sat him 18th in the league, but again, every player ahead of him played a minimum of 10 more games. Over a full 68-game season, Reid was on pace to finish tied for second at 45 assists. His 1.07 points-per-game ranks 16th among age-18 seasons from a defender in the OHL since 2009-2010, placing him in a peer group with 18 year-old Brandt Clarke, Cam Fowler and Thomas Harley.

Organizationally, Reid immediately becomes the top defensive prospect in the Kraken pool, and arguably supplants Jake O’Brien for the top prospect in general. Given that the Kraken have long gone without a top-end PP1 quarterback, he immediately fills a need. That gives him an edge over O’Brien as the Kraken have a fairly deep stock of centremen.

Fantasy managers should take note that Reid fired nearly four shots a game on net, blocked just over three shots, and laid just over a hit per game. Those totals will almost certainly regress against NHL competition, particularly early in his career, but they hint at the type of multi-category contributor he could become.

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.