West Vancouver's Sam Reinhart was rated as the No. 3 prospect in NHL Central Scouting's recently released final list of the top drafteligible North American skaters heading into the 2014 NHL Draft.
Reinhart, an 18-year-old centre with the WHL's Kootenay Ice, was listed behind only centre Samuel Bennett of the Kingston Frontenacs and defenceman Aaron Ekblad of the Barrie Colts.
This year Reinhart notched 36 goals and 69 assists for 105 points in just 60 regular season games, finishing tied for fourth in the WHL in points despite playing the fewest games of any of the top-10 players. As of Thursday, Reinhart was first in the league in playoff scoring with 19 points in nine games as his Ice are battling the Medicine Hat Tigers in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
"I would compare Reinhart to Adam Oates - he's a very cerebral player who takes what's given to him," Central Scouting's B.J. MacDonald said in an NHL press release announcing the rankings. "He probably has the highest hockey IQ of any player in this draft and he knows where to go with the puck, even before he gets it."
Reinhart also has strong bloodlines in his favour. His father Paul had an excellent 11-season NHL career with the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks and his two older brothers are also on the path to the NHL. Oldest brother Max was a thirdround pick of the Flames in 2010 and has already picked up five points in 19 career NHL games. Middle brother Griffin was selected fourth overall by the New York Islanders in 2012 and is currently leading his Edmonton Oil Kings on a deep run in the WHL playoffs.
Sam's dad agrees with the scout's take that his son's brain is one of his biggest weapons.
"(Sam) sees the game extremely well and he's a very cerebral player," Paul Reinhart told NHL.com. "(I) marvel when I have an opportunity to watch Sam play. I marvel at some of the small things he does with the puck and away from the puck and his ability to understand the game."
