The offensive powerhouse bolsters Seattle’s blue line after a prolific OHL career, transitioning from a Michigan childhood to becoming the cornerstone of the Kraken’s future defensive core.
Seattle found their blueliner of the future as with the seventh overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft on Friday, the Kraken selected Chase Reid, the offensively dynamic defenseman out of the OHL's Soo Greyhounds, capping off what had already been an eventful draft week filled with swirling rumors and speculation about the organization's direction.
For a kid who grew up in Chesterfield, Michigan, there's a good chance the Detroit Red Wings were the team that first made him fall in love with hockey. Now, as a member of the Seattle Kraken, he may one day find himself squaring off against those very same Red Wings. It's the kind of full-circle storyline that makes draft night special.
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The production that made Reid one of the draft's premier names speaks for itself. The 18-year-old put together back-to-back impressive seasons in Sault Ste. Marie, finishing with seven goals and 33 assists for 40 points in 39 games the year prior before taking a significant leap this past season, posting 18 goals and 30 assists for 48 points in just 45 games. The jump in goal production stood out in particular, establishing Reid as one of the most offensively dangerous defensemen in all of junior hockey.
His performance extended to the international stage as well. Reid earned a spot on Team USA's World Juniors roster and continued to shine among the best under-20 players in the world, contributing two goals and two assists for four points in five games, further cementing his status as one of the top defensive prospects in this draft class.
At six-foot-two and 192 pounds, Reid has the frame to develop into an imposing presence on Seattle's blue line, and his offensive instincts give the Kraken a future weapon from the back end that the organization has been looking to add for some time.
The kid from Chesterfield is headed to Seattle, and if the hockey gods have a sense of humor, one of his first trips back to the midwest will be a date at Little Caesars Arena.
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