Hockey|Potential No. 1 Pick in N.H.L. Draft Is Only No. 3 Among His Brothers
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Potential No. 1 Pick in N.H.L. Draft Is Only No. 3 Among His Brothers
Sam Reinhart, right, is set to become the third Reinhart selected in five drafts on Friday.Credit...Derek Leung/Getty Images
By Dhiren Mahiban
Like many Canadians, the brothers Max, Griffin and Sam Reinhart grew up playing hockey.
Their competitive nature came out during mini-stick hockey games at the family home in Vancouver, British Columbia, resulting in broken windows as the boys simulated playing together in the N.H.L., where their father, Paul, spent 11 seasons as a defenseman.
"I think every kid at some point plays mini-stick hockey with the two nets, and then play against each other and usually have a friend or something over to make it two-on-two or play one-on-one with one goalie," Griffin, 20, said. "It's a lot of fun, and I think it's something, as you grow up, you obviously remember."
Sam, 18, is set to become the third Reinhart selected in five drafts on Friday, after Max (64th overall in 2010 by the Calgary Flames) and Griffin (fourth overall in 2012 by the Islanders).
"I'm pretty excited for that," Sam said. "Saw it firsthand when Griffin was able to do that in Pittsburgh, and that was probably the first time I really started to visualize that."
Playing for the Kootenay Ice, Sam finished the 2013-14 regular season fifth in the Western Hockey League in points with 105 in 60 games. He added 23 points in 13 playoff games and won the league's Player of the Year award.
"He had a very good season this year, but he took his game to another level in the playoffs," said David Burstyn, the director of scouting for McKeen's Hockey, which publishes an annual draft guide. "Sam is arguably the smartest player in this year's N.H.L. entry draft. He approaches the game very similarly to a Ron Francis type of player. He sees plays unfold well before his peers do."
McKeen's and International Scouting Services ranked Sam, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound center, as No. 1 for the draft in Philadelphia. N.H.L. Central Scouting rated him third among North Americans.
He is one of 21 draft-eligible players with relatives that have previously gone through the process. Dominic Turgeon, the son of Pierre and nephew of Sylvain, will likely have his named called, as will Ryan MacInnis, son of Al. Others include Brendan Lemieux, son of Claude and nephew of Jocelyn; Josh Wesley, son of Glen; Daniel Audette, son of Donald; and Ryan Donato, son of Ted.
Griffin Reinhart, who has completed his final year of junior eligibility with the Edmonton Oil Kings of the W.H.L., said he and his brothers had not discussed much about a possible reunion in the N.H.L., even though the Flames and the Islanders hold top-five picks.
As a defenseman, Griffin got firsthand experience trying to contain Sam the last three seasons as they played in the same division.
"He's really smart, and his hockey sense is probably his biggest attribute," Griffin said. "He makes a lot of defensemen in that league look like they shouldn't belong there. He's really tough to contain, and I think he'll continue that at the next level."
Sam has represented Canada twice at the under-18 world championship, winning gold in 2013, and at the 2014 world junior championship. He got a brief taste of the N.H.L. pace this spring when he was invited to the senior national team's world championship camp and dressed as an extra forward during an exhibition game.
"It was pretty amazing to see just how I handled Practice 1 compared to Practice 3 and really picked up the pace," Sam said. "I felt comfortable and pretty quick out there. Really turned out to be a positive experience, and it's really paying off right now."
Projected as a two-way center, Sam needs to work on finding an extra gear in his skating, Burstyn said.
Paul Reinhart, who played 648 N.H.L. games in his career with Atlanta, Calgary and Vancouver, is proud of his sons' success in hockey.
"I think the best moment in any man's life or any father's life is when his son surpasses his accomplishments, and they're well on their way, if not already there," he said. "In that respect, it's been very satisfying."