Reid ready to prove a point

By Bill Potrecz - June 25, 2021

Chris Reid has made the most of a disappointing situation.

The 16-year-old Niagara Falls native was passed over in the Ontario Hockey League draft earlier this month, but quickly landed on his feet signing with the St. Catharines Falcons of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.

“It is amazing knowing I will have a place to play next year,” said Reid, a Grade 10 student at Saint Michael Catholic High School. “I’m welcomed to a team where they are letting me in and encouraging me and helping me build myself to get better and maybe one day play in the OHL or college hockey.”

Reid, who was a top scorer for the Southern Tier Admirals U15 squad on a line with Dylan Lariviere and Sam Tonelli, admitted it was a killer not to be chosen.

“Not getting my name called was pretty devastating but I’m over it now and I’ve got the motivation to not let it drag me down,” he said. “I just have to build around it and prove them wrong, play junior B and do the best I can do and hopefully light a spark and someone can notice something in me.”

Lariviere and Grimsby goaltender Nate Day were both chosen by the Flint Firebirds, the two lone local players selected from the Admirals.

“I talked to some of the kids,” Reid said. “There was no season to prove ourselves more but it is was it is. You just have to fight through it and hope for the best next year.”

Enter the Falcons, who believe in Reid’s skill set and work ethic.

“We are excited to get going and see Chris in a Falcon uniform,” Falcons coach Tyler Bielby said. “We have had some great chats with him over the last few months and know he is going to come to the rink prepared and ready to work.

“There is always a big jump when coming out of minor hockey into junior but we believe he will embrace that challenge and contribute right away. The ceiling is high with his development and he will be given the opportunities to grow as a player.”

Reid is ready to get to work.

“It’s going to be a big difference from playing minor hockey AAA with kids that are all my age to kids that are way older than me and bigger and stronger,” he said. “I’m going to fight through it and battle through it.”

Reid plans to hit the gym this summer.

“I’ve got to get bigger and stronger and get the endurance up so I can keep up with all these other guys out there,” he said.

“Get out and practice with the team, get some plays going and get familiar with the guys and go from there.”

Reid did admit, however, it will be a bit strange to put on a Falcons jersey.

“Growing up I always used to go watch Canucks games with my dad, every Friday,” he said. “I thought one day I would be playing for them, never the Falcons.”

Reid grew up as a defencemen before being moved to forward in his bantam year by coach Steve Webb. The switch proved to be a key in Reid’s development as he quickly took to the new position.

“Chris’ speed and hands are what separate him,” Webb said before the draft. “We saw more upside. He was a good defenceman but someone who we thought had a strong upside as a forward so we made that conversion and it went incredibly well.”