The Oshawa Generals sit at the bottom of the OHL standings. They ran into a Soo Greyhounds squad on Friday night, who potentially will be buyers at the Trade Deadline, looking to make a stab at an OHL championship. 

The Greyhounds took it to the Gens, and Jeremy Martin, who they recently acquired, scored the team’s first goal on the organization’s annual teddy bear toss night, sending teddy bears onto the ice.

After Martin’s opening tally, the Greyhounds set off that goal horn 10 more times, as it was a fun night to be a Sault Ste. Marie fan. The Soo crushed the young rebuilding Generals 11-2. They need to rack up the wins now before they most likely lose their captain, Brady Martin, to Team Canada for the World Juniors. 

Additionally, their number one defenseman, Chase Reid, should be a staple on Team USA’s blueline for the U20 tournament, and he had a monster night against Oshawa. 

Greyhounds' Chase Reid Goes From Overlooked Prospect To 2026 Projected First-Rounder Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds' defenseman Chase Reid has drawn attention in the OHL ahead of joining Michigan State University next season. He'll be looked at by many teams to be picked in the first round of the 2026 draft.

Reid came into the game top five in scoring amongst defensemen in the OHL and leading all Sault Ste. Marie players. His offensive flair and upside have many NHL scouts looking at him near the top of the NHL draft boards, and his first goal of the night was an absolute beauty. 

He showcased his quick lateral skating to cut into the middle of the ice and rifled a ridiculous wrister that went bardown. 

As briefly pointed out, Reid’s selling point to NHL teams is his offensive game. He’s always getting up in the rush and adding another layer of attack for his team in transition. That’s exactly what he did on his second goal.

On the power play in a zone entry attempt, Reid bumped the puck to Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Marco Mignosa on the right wing. Instead of staying stagnant, he vaulted into the open space that Oshawa’s penalty kill was giving right after he made his pass, and quickly snapped the puck from the right faceoff circle in a tight window to get it past Isaac Gravelle. 

In the third period, with the game far out of reach for the Gens, Chase Reid had an opportunity to complete the hat trick. It was a textbook faceoff win by Brady Martin to prompt a set play and get the puck over to Reid, who one-timed the puck home for his first career OHL hat trick. 

With a four-point night, Reid has moved up into second in points (32) amongst all OHL blueliners, and trails only New York Islanders prospect Kashawn Aitcheson in goals. 

The majority of scouts still have Gavin McKenna as the number-one prospect for the 2026 NHL Draft. However, the gap has started to close since the start of the season, and a handful of prospects have made the battle for No. 2 an interesting one. 

Greyhounds defenseman Chase Reid is one of those players who has thrown his name in the ring as the second-best prospect in the draft. 

Steven Ellis with the Daily Faceoff published an article Friday morning, before Reid’s stellar performance, titled “2026 NHL Draft: Which Prospects are in the running for first overall?” In Ellis’s article, he listed Reid as the most interesting prospect out of the five. 

“Heading into the CHL USA Prospects Challenge, some around the scouting community suggested he could be the first defender taken off the board. And while some scouts preferred Xavier Villeneuve, Reid was one of the top standouts. He had many high-end looks in the first game in particular, with his second-period goal giving the CHL a much-needed boost. His play-reads were top-notch, and few players can make the quick, smart plays that he can. I like how he joins in as a fourth forward without sacrificing his defensive responsibilities,” wrote Ellis. 

It’s easy to understand why the Greyhounds' second-year rearguard is rated so highly. He’s a right-shot with some size (6’2”) and is a play driver on the offensive side of the puck. Since entering the OHL last December, he’s arguably been one of the most consistent and dangerous blueliners in the league. Meanwhile, he isn’t a slouch defensively. 

It’s going to be extremely difficult to knock McKenna out of the No. 1 spot, but Reid is making a run for it. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's OHL site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.

Latest OHL News:

Toronto Maple Leafs Prospect On The Move, Again: Ottawa Acquires Power Forward From Brantford Maple Leafs prospect Sam McCue is on the move yet again. The surging Ottawa 67's add the overage forward from Brantford in exchange for two draft picks.

Connor McDavid Top Prospects Event: OHL Introduces GOHL & U16 AAA Showcases The OHL expands its talent pipeline with new GOHL and U16 AAA showcases, spotlighting future stars before the Connor McDavid Top Prospects Game.

Why Did Peterborough Trade Former Top-5 Pick Colin Fitzgerald To The Greyhounds? Peterborough Petes make bizarre trade, dealing away 2008-born Colin Fitzgerald for six draft picks.