Top CHL Draft Prospect
Soo Greyhounds' Defenceman Chase Reid Named Finalist for CHL Top Draft Prospect Award
Soo Greyhounds defenceman Chase Reid is one of three finalists for the CHL Top Draft Prospect Award, the Canadian Hockey League announced on June 9-10 CHL.ca. The award goes to the top CHL player eligible for the upcoming NHL Draft. The winner will be named at the CHL Awards ceremony in Toronto on June 15 Sault This Week.
Reid, a 6'2", 195-lb right-shot defenceman, is ranked No. 2 among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting OHL Official. His rise is one of the more unlikely stories of the 2025-26 season. He was cut from the USHL's Waterloo Black Hawks before joining the Greyhounds mid-season The Athletic.
From 7th-Round Pick to Top Draft Prospect
Reid's path to the top of draft boards was anything but straight. The Greyhounds selected him in the 7th round — 125th overall — of the 2023 OHL Priority Selection Sault Star. After getting cut from the USHL and playing in the NAHL's Bismarck Bobcats, he joined Sault Ste. Marie mid-season in December 2024 The Athletic.
Greyhounds GM Kyle Raftis called Reid a "7th-round steal" and said "his development went into hyper speed in the Soo" Sault Star. In 45 regular-season games this year, Reid posted 18 goals, 30 assists, and a plus-27 rating. He also recorded 4 points in 5 games for Team USA at the World Juniors in January 2026 Upside Hockey.
The Three Finalists and What Sets Each Apart
Reid is joined by two other finalists Sault This Week. Carson Carels is a left-shot defenceman for the WHL's Prince George Cougars. He put up 73 points this season — the second-highest total by a Cougars defender in team history. NHL Central Scouting ranks him No. 3 among North American skaters CHL.ca.
Maddox Dagenais rounds out the group. The Québec Remparts forward led his team with 62 points and 30 goals across 62 games this season BVM Sports. All three finalists rank among the top prospects available in the 2026 NHL Draft, with Reid sitting highest of the trio on Central Scouting's final list.
Award Has a History of Predicting Top NHL Picks
The CHL Top Draft Prospect Award was created in 1991. Past winners include Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, and Joe Thornton — the only Greyhound to have won it, in 1996-97 Wikipedia. Thornton went 1st overall to the Boston Bruins in 1997. If Reid wins and is drafted in the Top 3, he would be the highest-drafted Greyhound since Thornton.
Jason Bukala of Sportsnet described Reid as an "outstanding skater" with a "heavy and accurate shot from distance" Sportsnet. The Hockey News analyst Tony Ferrari noted Reid can "try to do too much" at times but expects that inconsistency to fade as he matures The Hockey News.
Reid Leaving OHL Early to Join Michigan State
Whatever happens on June 15, Reid will not return to the Greyhounds next season. GM Kyle Raftis confirmed in May 2026 that Reid will join the Michigan State Spartans for the 2026-27 NCAA season — one year ahead of his original commitment Sault Star. He committed to Michigan State in August 2024 under a 2024 rule change that lets CHL players keep their NCAA eligibility.
The departure is a blow to the Greyhounds' roster. But it also makes Reid a test case for elite prospects who want to keep their options open between major junior and college hockey Sault Star. The CHL Awards ceremony at Arcadian Court in Toronto on June 15 will be the last major milestone before Reid heads to the 2026 NHL Draft BVM Sports.
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