Chase Reid enters the 2026 NHL Entry Draft with the most projectable pro upside of any defenseman in this draft class. The late 2007-born blueliner transitioned to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds midway through the 2024-25 season after spending the first part of the season in the NAHL. He immediately defied the typical developmental curve as he quickly established himself as a premier defender in the Ontario Hockey League. In the 2025-26 season, Reid was able to assert his dominance within the league. Most draft-eligible blueliners are still navigating the nuances of junior-level pace but Reid already operates with a level of tactical maturity and processing ability that suggests he could step into a high-impact role far sooner than his peers.
What distinguishes Reid is not just his 6-foot-3 frame or his mobility. It is his ability to solve problems within the game in real-time. Reid consistently identifies and exploits seams. He dictates the flow of the game with exceptional precision. Reid’s skillset combines the poise of a crafty veteran with the elite physical skillset that NHL front offices covet.
Identifying Seams
The primary attribute that separates Reid from his peers is his ability to create offense in a translatable way. Reid’s vision and playmaking ability is off the charts. His ability to identify and execute seam plays and create high-danger scoring chances is unmatched by any other defender in this draft class. Especially when we look at draft eligible defenseman, most continue plays. Chase Reid makes plays. And there’s a significant difference. Many defensemen simply extend possession or make neutral plays, but Reid regularly creates scenarios where he’s giving his teammates pucks in high-danger scoring positions with an abundance of time and space to execute. When it comes to playmaking, whether it’s a forward or a defenseman, the best players find ways to get the puck to teammates in quiet ice on the weak side, and that is Chase Reid’s specialty.
Deception
The other major element of Chase Reid’s offensive game is his ability to use deception to create offense and manipulate plays. We’ll see him use tactics such as getting the puck outside his body and loading it on his stick and then leaning on his stick to freeze opposing players. This strategy manipulates opponents into shifting their skates and adjusting their body positioning, rather than closing in on him with intent to engage. Reid also possesses excellent skating ability, and we see him use another form of deception using his skating. He can easily adjust his footwork and open up his hips and get on the edges of his skates, again manipulating defenders into shifting their weight and giving Reid an opening to isolate and expose them. We’ve seen him use deception in contained offensive zone situations, such as on the PowerPlay, or even off the rush. He’s multi-dimensional with the ways he can create offense.
Breakouts
When it comes to breaking the puck out, Reid has the ability to execute at an elite level. He’s constantly scanning and processing information as he goes back for pucks. He effectively formulates a gameplan and is able to problem solve and execute under heavy pressure, often trapping opposing forecheckers below the puck. Reid plays with such poise and calmness in scenarios with limited time and space. The best defensemen possess the ability to dictate the pace of a shift when they break pucks out, and Reid does just that. Every puck touch is efficient, but he has the option to move the puck quickly as he identifies the right player to move it to at the right time, or he has the ability to dictate pace with his feet, whether he comes out slow and calculated or fast to push the pace. This makes him extremely difficult to defend. Reid is consistently creating clean zone exits and driving possession for his team as he executes with such precision.
Pocket Passing
Reid shows another layer of dictating the pace of a play through his ability to make elite pocket passes in transition. He shows poise, scanning and processing to evaluate his options to again identify the right player to move the puck to at the right time. He snaps his passes, leading his teammates into high-danger entry scenarios and catching opposing teams off guard with his ability to vary his attacks. Reid can make quick plays with precision, speeding up the pace of attack, or slow the play down to draw in the opposing forecheckers before calmly slicing through the opposing team’s neutral zone structure with calculated strikes. He can be hard to contain as he executes off his back foot when necessary, but he can also use his skating ability to generate forward momentum prior to making a play, giving Reid a multitude of options in his arsenal. His elite transition game makes him a constant threat.
Rush Defending
A key component of the game for any defenseman is how they actually defend. Defending the rush is the primary area for improvement in Reid’s game, especially if he wants to be considered an elite defenseman at the NHL level, but it’s also the most easily addressable. Reid has all of the tools to execute rush defending with high proficiency. He shows that he has understanding of the game, understanding of how plays develop, and recognizes patterns within the game, and he pairs all of that with excellent skating ability as he has enough mobility, edgework, and explosiveness to close gaps quickly when needed. One noticeable trend in Reid’s game is that he doesn’t always set his gaps early. He has the ability to set his gap early and manage his gaps well, there’s just too much inconsistency here. There are times where Reid is passive with his gaps, and instead of killing plays through neutral ice, he gives the opposing team the blueline and allows easy access to his defensive zone.
At the NHL level, without proper gap management it’s very easy for defenseman to get burned off the rush, which is why in the NHL we see tight gaps paired with surfing and angling so defenseman can engage and kill plays early before they begin to develop. Reid does this at times, however, to truly be as impactful as he could be, Reid needs use his ability to read plays along with his skating ability to gap up, and make opposing forwards earn every inch of ice they get through neutral ice.
Small Area Defending
Reid finds significantly more success killing plays in contained, isolated scenarios. He’s able to read how the play develops, identify the options of the puck carrier, and anticipate where the puck will end up. Reid excels at turning defensive situations into quick transitions up ice. Most draft eligible defensemen aren’t turning defensive plays into quick calculated offensive strikes, a lot of the time they’re just relieving pressure. But Reid regularly engages with a well-timed stick check, disrupts the play, and jumps on the loose puck while already having a plan of attack in mind. He’s able to generate offense quickly after making meaningful small area defensive plays.
Use of Size
At 6’3” and 195 lbs, Reid utilizes his frame effectively without sacrificing his stamina. Despite averaging minutes in the high 20s every game, he remains a physical presence who consistently initiates contact to separate opponents from the puck. His size is a functional asset and he uses his reach and strength to protect pucks under pressure and displays a pro-level ability to box out and clear the net-front. Reid is a large-frame defender who understands how to use his leverage to kill plays and maintain possession.
Reid possesses the rare blend of hockey IQ, skill, and physical maturity required to anchor an NHL defense core. He stands out as the defense prospect most ready to make an offensive impact in the NHL out of this draft class. He processes the game with a level of poise and problem solving that suggests a seamless transition to the pace of the NHL. The consensus narrative regarding the first overall selection remains focused elsewhere, and that narrative overlooks the structural reality of Reid’s game. The gap between him and his peers is significantly narrower than the public conversation suggests. It would be very plausible for Reid to emerge as the most valuable asset from this draft class five years from now. For the team that selects him, Reid represents a rare opportunity to secure a foundational piece for a winning organization.
Chris Whalen
Chris Whalen is a Player Development Expert, Hockey Analyst and former OHL Executive with nearly a decade of experience in OHL Hockey Operations. Through executive management, scouting, video coaching and player development, Chris has built a career around analyzing the game and breaking down the decisions, habits and details that separate players at the next level.
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