Darren Reid

History

Reid rose quickly from relative obscurity in the bantam ranks to become a 2002 eighth round selection of the Tampa Bay Lightning. After spending much of two seasons with the Drayton Valley Thunder bantam team of the AJHL, Reid was promoted to Medicine Hat of the WHL where he completed the 2001-02 season. In 86 games with Drayton Valley, he posted 17 goals and 47 points before notching 8 goals and 17 points in 37 games with the Tigers.

Reid’s stock has fallen as a result of there having been very little improvement in his game from last season. He was plagued by bouts of inconsistency in 2004-05 which hampered his offensive production, and that has carried over to this season as well. He was among the first cuts from the Tampa Bay camp, and has not been very impressive offensively for a vastly improved Springfield squad, picking up only one goal through his first 10 games, though he has picked up a few points (including his only goal) in the last couple of games.

Talent Analysis

The most positive aspect of Reid's game is his work ethic. He succeeds against more talented players through shear effort and sacrifice. Reid is a decent skater who at times displays some nifty puckhandling ability, but for the most part his skill package is very ordinary. Above all, he must achieve a higher level of consistency if he is to make it in the professional ranks, because one day he looks like a solid player and others he looks like the player who was stuck in bantam for a year and a half.

Future

There is no questioning his strong work ethic, however with his skill set and inconsistent offensive play, this may be a matter of what you see is what you get. He added some bulk in the offseason, so if he can use his modest size for an increased physical game, he may be able to find other means of contributing, for offense does not appear to be his strength.