Griffin Reinhart: Welcome To The Edmonton Oilers
By Zane Tomich
The 2015 NHL Entry Draft was overflowing with excitement and full of trades that stole the show.
Of the many trades that took place over draft weekend, the Edmonton Oilers made a significant move in acquiring top defensive prospect Griffin Reinhart from the New York Islanders.
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21 year old Griffin Reinhart is a former 4th overall selection from the 2012 NHL Draft. Fans associated with Oil Country are quite familiar with this man from his days playing for the Edmonton Oil Kings.
Most notably during his 4 year tenure with the Oil Kings, he captained the powerhouse team that made it all the way to the 2014 Memorial Cup. The Oil Kings would win the tournament, marking their first Memorial Cup win in the modern era of the franchise.
In 2014/15 Reinhart played in his first full pro season for the Islanders AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Although he had his fair share of struggles as a rookie in the pros, he earned an 8 game stint towards the end of the season as well as one playoff game with the Islanders.
Reinhart possesses very appealing, useful tools that will help him become a quality defenseman in the NHL. He has perfect size, standing at 6”4 and weighing 210 lbs. The Hockey News outlines a scouting report on Reinhart that shares common understanding of what most scouts and knowledgeable hockey people see in the former Oil King captain.
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During his tenure in junior, he logged a tremendous amount of minutes playing against tough competition on a nightly basis in the WHL. During the 2014 Memorial cup run, he was tasked with shutting down the oppositions top scorers, which he more than succeeded at. Reinhart can also provide some offence by jumping up into the rush and can push the play forward.
His hockey IQ is stellar and he is good with the puck. Overall, he plays a complete game and can contribute in all areas of the ice.
Griffin Reinhart’s development thus far has been progressing in a positive direction. With one pro season and a hand full of NHL games already under his belt, he is knocking at the front door for a regular spot on the big club. He could be ready as early as next season.
Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli expressed his expectation during a media scrum at the draft that he envisions Reinhart on the team come October.
I see very high potential in Griffin Reinhart. He will become a very useful, versatile, two-way defender in the NHL. There is no doubt in my mind that he can at least become a top 4, shutdown defenseman, but he has all of the tools to become a top two rearguard as well.
A player of comparison to Reinhart if he develops to his full potential is either Chicago’s Brent Seabrook or San Jose’s Marc Eduoard Vlasic. These two defenders are number two rearguards on their respective teams and play world class, defensive, shutdown hockey.
They both have offensive upside similar to Reinhart. Seabrook is the most accurate comparison as he has great size and can be very physical during crucial moments in a game.
The Oilers could have drafted two highly talented prospects with the 16th and 33rd overall selections they possessed before trading them to the Islanders for Reinhart. The prospect of interest that was available at 16th was Seattle Thunderbirds Mathew Barzal. He could have been a great pick for the Oilers, but in reality, another centerman is not needed.
In acquiring Reinhart, the Oilers get a bluechip prospect that is further along in the development process. Barzal will take at least 2-4 years until he is ready for prime time. This shows that the Oilers are preparing for the “Here and Now” and are maintaining a healthy balance with the future as opposed to past managements motive of ONLY preparing and boasting about the future and not addressing needs for the present.
The most important thing Peter Chiarelli and the Edmonton Oilers must do with Reinhart is be patient with him. It is next to impossible to become a top defenseman over night. My guess is that Reinhart will make the Oilers out of training camp this season coming up.
It is essential to not overload him with tough assignments and heavy minutes that can harm his development. Ease him in slowly. Realistically, I can see him starting the season on the third pairing unit of the Oilers blue line.
Undisputedly in my mind, the Oilers really do have a gem in Griffin Reinhart. He will absolutely be a major piece to the puzzle for the long term future.
With Darnell Nurse, Oscar Klefbom and now Griffin Reinhart in it for the long haul, the process of building a world class defensive core on the Oilers blue line is coming along nicely. Only time will tell how these players develop, but so far so good.
Next: Oilers Draft Day 2 Recap - How Deep Is The Well?