With the seventh overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, the Seattle Kraken selected Chase Reid, a right-shot defenseman from the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds. The pick comes as a bit of surprise because most prognosticators had projected Reid to be drafted higher. There was some speculation at various points in the process that he could go as high as No. 1 or No. 2 overall.
It’s also a historic pick for the Kraken in the sense that it’s the first time the team has selected a defenseman in the first round. Each of its previous five first-round picks was a forward.
That said, the 6-foot-3 Reid fits with the team’s historical preference for offensive firepower at the top of the draft. His offensive toolkit is well-rounded with plus skating, transition ability, passing ability, compete, and a quality shot. Chase Reid led all draft-eligible OHL defensemen in goals, points, and points per game.
At the same time, this is far from an offense-only player. In the OHL Coaches Poll, Reid was not only voted the top offensive defenseman in the OHL’s Western Conference, he was voted second-best defensive defenseman too.
What does the ideal defence prospect look like? You’d want to see a player with high-end mobility, above-average size, strong physical skills, strong stopping capabilities, elite hockey sense, playmaking, and shooting ability. No player checks off all of those boxes quite like Chase Reid. – Elite Prospects
Good friend of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast Chris Peters describes Reid this way:
Reid has the size, athleticism and skating ability to be a real difference maker. His hockey sense has come along, while his defending continues to improve. He’s going to need a year or two more before he can step into an NHL lineup, but his skill level and growing hockey sense lead me to believe he’s got the potential to become a reliable top-pairing defenseman and power-play leader. Reid’s slotting is much more based on projection than hard evidence, but the combination of skill, skating and size makes him difficult to pass up.
Projection: Top-Pairing Defenseman / No. 1 power play
NHL Comparable: Zach Werenski
While Peters compares Reid’s game to Werenski, others have mentioned Seth Jones. Regardless, it is clear Reid has the tools to rise to the top of the Kraken’s defensive depth chart after a few more seasons of development in college and at the AHL level.
Reid’s future plans also stand out as a positive factor. He’s committed to play for Michigan State University this upcoming season. A top NCAA program where he’ll likely assume first-unit power-play time, it’s an ideal situation for him to continue developing on and off the ice.
For these reasons, we projected Reid to be off the board in the top five in our post-lottery mock draft. Reid was the No. 3 player on the Sound Of Hockey Big Board and the No. 4 player on our data-only watchlist.
We’ll have much more analysis of this selection, including quotes from the team and the player, in the days ahead. In the meantime, check out Reid’s shifts from Prince Albert’s Jan. 29, 2026, game against the Niagara IceDogs below.
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This is an exciting pick for the Seattle Kraken as the team arguably walked away with the best defense prospect in this draft. He was the top defenseman on my personal board. What do you think of the pick? Drop your comments below or send them to us on X @deepseahockey and @sound_hockey or BlueSky @deepseahockey or @soundofhockey.com.
Curtis Isacke
Curtis is a Sound Of Hockey contributor and member of the Kraken press corps. Curtis is an attorney by day, and he has read the NHL collective bargaining agreement and bylaws so you don’t have to. He can be found analyzing the Kraken, NHL Draft, and other hockey topics on Twitter and Bluesky @deepseahockey.