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2012 NHL Draft Prospect Profile #11: Griffin Reinhart

Griffin Reinhart

Position: Defense
Team: Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
Age: 18
Date of Birth: January 24th, 1994
Place of Birth: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Ht: 6’4″ Wt: 207
Shoots: Left

2011-2012 Regular Season Stats:

GP G A PTS +/- PIM
58 12 24 36 +23 38

2011-2012 WHL Playoff Stats:

GP G A PTS +/- PIM
17 1 6 7 +11 20

I’d like to get one thing out of the way- I really hope this kid becomes a Blue Jacket.

For a player with such a big frame, he’s very mobile, and is a force on the powerplay. There are folks who are reminded of Shea Weber when they watch Reinhart play, and I don’t disagree with them one bit. He’s got Weber’s size, mobility, and shot. What Weber doesn’t have, however, is Reinhart’s NHL pedigree. His father, Paul, was a defender for the Calgary Flames in the ’80s.

Reinhart is the complete package, and though his offense hasn’t been as prevalent in the playoffs, he does lead his team with a +11. The Oil Kings are currently battling the Portland Winterhawks for the WHL title, with the series tied at two games apiece. In the regular season, Reinhart led Oil Kings defensemen in powerplay goals, with five.

Scouting Report:Griffin Reinhart is a player that has a lot of hockey tools going for him. Big frame, smooth skater, above average shot, to go along with a solid first pass. For someone 6’4″ he has really good mobility. The key for Reinhart this year will be to take one of those skills and make it elite, then GMs and scouts alike will salivate at the potential. Other things Reinhart will have to work on is understanding coverages and working on using his body to separate man from puck. He will get an opportunity to be featured on the top pairing for the Oil Kings this season if he keeps progressing like he has up to this point. He has the pedigree to be a top pairing Dman, he just needs to tighten up his game and bring it all together.
The Scouting Report
Why he’d be a good fit in Columbus:

Reinhart is a complete defenseman. As I mentioned earlier, he reminds me of Shea Weber, and has the tools to have a similar career to the Nashville captain. The Jackets are anything but flush with high-end defensive prospects, so adding Reinhart would instantly give them a prize on the future defensive line. Many believe that Ryan Murray is the top defender available in the draft, and though he is NHL-ready from a physicality and positioning perspective, he doesn’t have the offensive upside that Reinhart possesses. With the Jackets holding the second overall pick, Reinhart is a bit of a stretch with players like Filip Forsberg and potentially Nail Yakupov available. If the Jackets elect to trade down within the top ten, Reinhart should be available and the Jackets would be able to snatch him up. Alternatively, if the Jackets don’t move their second overall pick, but pick up a top-ten pick in a potential Rick Nash trade, Reinhart would be in ideal choice, if available.

Reinhart in Action: