The Chicago Blackhawks may be considering Chase Reid at the 2026 NHL Draft.
Last week, Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times reported that the Chicago Blackhawks went out to Michigan to take Chase Reid out to dinner. That is not something that the organization typically does at the Scouting Combine in Buffalo, let alone at the home of a player well before the event.
Reid, a defenseman, played the 2025-26 season with the Soo Greyhounds of the OHL. There, he was a high-flying offensive defenseman with 18 goals and 30 assists for 48 points in 45 games played.
If Gavin McKenna, Ivar Stenberg, and Caleb Malhotra are the first three picks in the draft, the Blackhawks may go with Reid. Going out of their way to take him to dinner in his hometown speaks volumes about their interest. Even if they don't end up with him, there is no doubting that they like him as a player.
Taking Reid as a result of one of their desired forwards being off the board also means that they chose him over guys like Keaton Verhoeff and Carson Carels, who are all great defensemen in their own right.
Kyle Davidson has drafted a lot of high-end first-round type defensemen already. However, guys like Sam Rinzel and Artyom Levshunov aren't looking like elite top-pair players. They could still get there, but the Blackhawks would love to add one who comes in and demands that level of respect right away. Chase Reid could be that type of blue-liner.
A lot of factors would have to come into play for the Blackhawks to make this move, but long-time draft observers know that anything is possible in this day and age. No matter what, it isn't "irrelevant" that they cared enough to go that far out of their way to get to know him.
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