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1st Round pick #2 Sam Reinhart

spndnchz

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@BuffaloSabres

#Sabres GM Tim Murray: We got the guy we wanted. He was first on our list. #Sabres2014Draft

 

Murray on Reinhart: Dominant player. He makes those around him better. Outstanding hockey sense. #Sabres2014Draft pic.twitter.com/VPOb31ms6W

 

Sam Reinhart NHL Entry Draft Transcript

 

SABRES SELECT SAM REINHART SECOND OVERALL IN NHL DRAFT

BUFFALO, N.Y. (June 27, 2014) --- The Buffalo Sabres selected center Sam Reinhart (Kootenay - WHL) with the second overall pick of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. He is the team’s first-ever second overall pick and the highest selection for the club since it picked Pierre Turgeon first overall in 1987.

 

Reinhart (6’1”, 186 lbs., 11/6/95), the third-ranked North American skater and second-ranked North American center on NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings, joins the Sabres organization after playing four years in the Western Hockey League (WHL) for the Kootenay Ice. In addition to serving as Kootenay’s captain in 2013-14, he was named the WHL 2013-14 Player of the Year and Most Sportsmanlike Player of the Year.

 

In 2013-14, Reinhart led Kootenay with 105 points (36+69) in 60 games, tying for fourth overall in the WHL with Leon Draisaitl (selected third overall by Edmonton). He also led his team with 23 points (6+17) in 13 playoff games, advancing three rounds before Kootenay fell to the Portland Winterhawks in the Western Conference Championship.

 

Through his four seasons with Kootenay and the WHL, Reinhart has recorded 254 points (101+153) in 203 games. Additionally, he captained Canada’s gold medal-winning teams at both the 2012 Ivan Hlinka Memorial and the 2013 Under-18 World Championship.

 

Born in North Vancouver, B.C., Reinhart comes from a long line of hockey players in his family. Reinhart’s brother, Max, was selected by the Calgary Flames in the third round (63rd overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft, while his brother, Griffin, was selected in the first round (fourth overall) by the New York Islanders in 2012. Their father, Paul, was selected in the first round (12th overall) by the Atlanta Flames in 1979 and played 11 NHL seasons with the Flames and Vancouver Canucks. Sam played alongside Max with the WHL’s Kootenay Ice (in 2010-11 and 2011-12) and with Griffin on Team Canada at the 2014 World Junior Championship.

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Reinhart Reports

 

Black Book

 

Sam is an excellent two-way player and has shown he can play a complete game at both ends of the ice. Sam seems to do everything well and makes it looks effortless at times. He has a very powerful release on his shot and has ideal positioning in the offensive zone, always finding some open ice and utilizing it to his advantage. He is capable of beating defenders one on one but isn’t an overly flashy player. He can sometimes very quietly start producing points simply out of his calm, poised demeanor and hockey sense with and without the puck. He is also effective dishing the puck to the streaking forward of threading the needle in tight for a back door goal. Both offensively and defensively Sam can be very dangerous every shift. Sam has proven to be the guy you always want on the ice in critical situations and has shown he can play consistent every night at the junior level.

 

ISS

 

Scouting Report:

What makes Reinhart so dangerous is his ability to dominate a game without the flash or constant barrage of risky plays that tend to stick out with other high potential offensive players. Reinhart sees the entire ice and always seems to be at least one step ahead of everyone else on the ice when the puck is on his stick. He is a dominant PP set up man from the half wall but has also shown that he can be a very dangerous shooter as well. He has an elite understanding of positioning and game physics in all three zones of the ice and on both sides of the puck. He very rarely jumps at you because of any particular skill but he is always effective and a consistent offensive threat in every game he plays.

 

McKeen's

 

Possesses the best on ice awareness of all draft eligible prospects understanding how to play and analyze all game situations .. approaches the game not unlike Ron Francis .. elite poise under pressure, exploiting his time and space intelligently .. can diffuse pressure and get out of jams by simply using his smarts as one can see the gears literally turning in his head .. always in the right position to make a play whether it be on the offensive or defensive side of the puck .. not a flashy or explosive skater, his game misses a breakaway gear .. more of a steady and functional skater with some deceptive quickness .. doesn’t seem to have a ‘killer’ passion as he can lose intensity in 1 on 1 battles .. needs to get stronger and thicker up top as he can be easily knocked over onto his knees when shoved from behind .. Reinhart has accomplished much at the international level playing in every tournament of his junior career.. a move to the NHL next season appears imminently likely.

 

FC

 

STRENGTHS: The 2014 NHL Draft’s top forward prospect has delivered consistently all season for Kootenay. His top asset is his mind as he is always a step or two ahead of his opponents. Because of his intelligence, Reinhart can play a ton of minutes in all situations as your top-line center. His positioning and decision-making skills are elite. While on the surface, he is lacking the flash of a typical top pick, Reinhart seems to always find a way to forward the puck to a teammate and seems to thread difficult passes across the ice with ease. His vision is outstanding and he is creative in a discrete way. The typical Sam Reinhart goal: him sitting back in the play and waiting for a moment to find open ice around the net, and in a split second, striking with a quick wrist shot from that open ice after his teammate found him with a well-placed pass. His usual accurate shot has improved all season both in its release and velocity. He is strong on the draw, and shows poise and composure with the puck. He uses his body well as a shield for the puck. Reinhart has the rare ability to slow the pace down when he gets the puck. Shows very good anticipation in the defensive zone. He looks unassertive in his end at times, but his timing is just excellent. Reinhart always seems to lurk around, but the next thing you know, he has picked off a pass with his quick stick and excellent positioning, and in a flash, has started the transition up ice. Poise with and without the puck is phenomenal and hardly ever panics or gets worked up.

 

WEAKNESSES: While it is not really a weakness--more of his identity--Reinhart is not a flashy kid with an impressive set of wheels and the ability to dangle the puck through defenders for a highlight-reel play. Instead, he is very effective and efficient. Not the typical top-five draft pick in that regard. His skating lacks the burst and explosiveness you want in a top-line type forward prospect, even if he is rarely, if ever, behind the play. He lacks the speed to project as highly effective off the rush. Reinhart looks to be lacking intensity and can frustrate with his perceived lack of urgency. He also does not have a physical element to his game, but instead relies on his hockey sense and smarts to win most battles.

 

THN

 

ON A DISAPPOINTING CANADIAN WJC team, Reinhart was one of the best and most consistent forwards, behind Ottawa pick Curtis Lazar. Coach Brent Sutter had him killing penalties way back in the summer evaluation camp tournament that saw the Canadians face off against the U.S., Sweden Finland in Lake Placid, N.Y., because the national boss knew the kid could handle it. "He's so smart that it makes up for his weaknesses," said one scout. "He takes away space and uses his angles. He's a good enough skater, deadly on the power play and his line mates get five or six chances a game because of him." Reinhart was lightning for Kootenay in the playoffs and was buzzing during the CHL Top Prospects Game, where he stood out as one of the top performers. Consistency has been a Question, if only a Quibble. "There are times when you want him to dig deeper," said one scout. "But he does so many things well."

 

ESPN

 

Prospect analysis: Reinhart is the best pure passer in the draft class. His ability to dictate tempo elevates his game to a distinct level. Reinhart can make all kinds of plays with the puck, and his elite hockey sense stands out regularly. He has average size but will work hard in battles for the puck. Some of the skills that distinguish Reinhart are his smart play in the defensive zone and his ability to shut down opposing top players, and he is an asset on the penalty kill. -- Pronman

 

Team-fit analysis: If you are a Buffalo fan, you can take solace in the fact that the abysmal mess that was the Sabres' 2013-14 season at least yielded a high-end, two-way center who will very likely start the 2014-15 season on their NHL roster. For as bad as Buffalo was last year (and it was historically bad), this is a team with a lot of young talent on the way. They are prospect-strong in areas (center and defense) that are extremely difficult to fill in trade and free agency. -- Provenzano

Edited by 26CornerBlitz
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