Chase Reid is inserting himself more and more into the debate for the best defenseman available for the 2026 NHL Draft. Keaton Verhoeff has been identified in that role for some time now, but the OHL prospect is giving himself more and more arguments for the conversation. Here is a scouting report of this right-shot defenseman who plays for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in the OHL.

2026 NHL Draft Scouting Report: Chase Reid

Since the beginning of the 2025–2026 season with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, Chase Reid has played 25 games and recorded 10 goals and 18 assists for a total of 28 points. His strong offensive production, his 28 minutes of average ice time, and his deployment on the first pair at all special teams or at even strength clearly demonstrate how much trust he earns within the team.

Here is a table displaying a few statistics accumulated so far by Chase Reid in the OHL since the start of the 2025–2026 season.

A Profile Tailored for the NHL

Chase Reid stands out above all thanks to his smooth and light mobility. The prospect skates with ease and, even if we can question his pace of play at times, we have no choice but to take his usage into consideration. With more than 28 minutes of ice time per game, the right-shot defenseman has no choice but to manage his energy to sustain such a high workload. Despite that, the young player always has the puck and excels in transition. We often see him carry the puck with good speed while being capable of exploiting the right passing lanes to advance the play.

Defensively, his progress is obvious since last year. Chase Reid uses his mobility well to cover as much territory as possible. He manages his positioning fairly well relative to opposing attacks and keeps his stick as active as possible. However, he can sometimes get carried away and make bold decisions that can lead to turnovers, especially when he performs a quick action without much analysis. Nonetheless, we can’t really blame him since the young player is the main offensive driver on the back end for his team.

As for physicality, the defenseman isn’t someone who systematically looks to impose himself on opponents. Chase Reid doesn’t hesitate to make himself heard when the situation calls for it, but he’s more of a player who uses his feet, his stick, and his intelligence to win battles. I’ve seen him display some temper a few times when an opponent was giving more than necessary. In those situations, the defenseman is capable of responding and showing a good dose of aggressiveness, even indiscipline as he can often chirp at opponent after a goal.

A Potential First-Pairing Defenseman

Offensively, Chase Reid possesses an NHL-caliber shot. You can note good accuracy, an ability to sell the pass before shooting, the use of screens, and notable power. In short, his release resembles that of a forward capable of fooling opponents. Moreover, the young player doesn’t hesitate to attack the net in different ways—either with finesse or by lowering his shoulder more directly. The prospect is quite unpredictable and dangles a lot before shooting.

His vision and puck management are among his most impressive assets. The American excels as a quarterback thanks to his ability to influence opposing coverages. Through his movements, he creates passing lanes quite easily and is able to exploit them effectively. We often see him navigate from the outside while searching for a target for a cross-ice pass or a pass into the slot. Then, he circles the zone to reposition himself at the point or near the faceoff circles to become a one-timer option.

As for puck handling, Chase Reid masterfully combines finesse and efficiency. He can fake at high speed, use his skates to protect the puck, and leverage his reach and size to maintain possession. Offensively, I find him quite safe despite the extent of his talent. He doesn’t generate a lot of unnecessary turnovers on the attack. It obviously happens, like any offensive defenseman, but this is an element where he manages risks well.

Prediction for Chase Reid’s Ranking in the 2026 NHL Draft

Based on his performances in the OHL, his steady progression, and his first-pairing defenseman profile (in my eyes), Chase Reid appears to be one of the most promising prospects of the 2026 class. His mobility, his accurate shot, his elite vision, and his maturity with the puck give him extremely high value in my evaluation. We generally see him within the top 10 in online rankings, but personally, I see him in the top 5. In my November’s list for the 2026 NHL Draft, I have him on the 2nd spot below Gavin Mckenna.

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