Watch out Staal family, because a new hockey household is on the rise. The NHL has welcomed another Reinhart into the fold, as the Buffalo Sabres selected forward prospect Sam Reinhart with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.
NHL Draft 2014: Buffalo Sabres select Sam Reinhart with No. 2 overall pick
Watch out Staal family, because a new hockey household is on the rise. The NHL has welcomed another Reinhart into the fold, as the Buffalo Sabres selected forward prospect Sam Reinhart with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.
Reinhart, 18, has spent the last three-plus seasons as a member of the Kootenay Ice of the Western Hockey League and acted as the club’s captain over the span of the 2013-14 season. In over 200 games played to date, Reinhart has amassed 254 points and recorded consecutive seasons with at least 35 goals.
Listed at 6'1, 183 lbs, Sam is a similar size as his eldest brother, Calgary Flames forward prospect Max Reinhart (selected No. 64 overall in 2010), but smaller than the middle Reinhart, Griffin, who was selected by the New York Islanders with the No. 4 pick in 2012. (Griffin captained the Edmonton Oil Kings to the 2014 Memorial Cup, a four-team tournament that determines the Canadian Hockey League's annual champion.)
Sam is a right-handed forward who has played center and right-wing. Reinhart is praised for his critical thinking and creativity, via the ISS:
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.
Reinhart’s leadership abilities extend beyond his club team, as he captained Canada’s U18 team during the World Junior Championship in 2012-13, finishing the tournament as a point-per game player (three goals and four assists). Reinhart has represented Canada in three consecutive World Junior tournaments and recorded five points (two goals and three assists) for the U20 team during the 2013-14 tournament.
See More:
