Reinhart is currently sitting at a 1.7 PPG ratio. To put that into perspective...
Draft Year Centers - Stats from HockeyDB:
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 1.5PPG - Sam is an inch taller, and 6lbs heavier NOW than RNH
Joe Thornton - 2.06PPG - Joe is Jumbo - different era too
Getzlaf - 0.97PPG
Spezza - 2.07PPG
Mackinnon - 1.7PPG (Reinhart is 1 inch taller, 6lbs lighter)
Monahan - 1.3PPG (Reinhart 1 inch shorter, 10lbs lighter)
Stamkos - 1.7PPG (Reinhart same height, 11lbs lighter as Stamkos is NOW)
Giroux - 1.5PPG (Reinhart is 2 inches taller, and 5lbs heavier than Giroux is NOW)
Bergeron - 1.04PPG (Bergeron is 1 inch taller and 17lbs heavier now)
I can continue. Point I am trying to make is that anyone writing off Reinhart because he is too small (6'1", 177lbs) saying he doesn't have the size to be a #1 center is absolutely wrong. Anyone that is saying he is not offensive enough because he is only scoring at a 1.7PPG mark is also completely wrong. He is bigger and/or outscoring a lot of centers (and high-end recent draft choices) who are currently plying their trade in the NHL right now.
Now how many of those centers I just compared him to played as well of a 200ft game then? Who knows where he would be statistically if he played a much more offensive game like some prospects do.
Reinhart absolutely deserves to be thought of as a future #1 center. Something has to go wrong for him not to be. It is fine to think that perhaps Bennet might become a better player, or Ekblad is more deserving of being taken first, or even make cases for other players in a rational way. However, to say that this kid is doubtful of becoming a #1 center in the NHL is due to size or lack of offence is 100% wrong when comparing other prospects in their draft ages that DID become #1 centers.
I would have compared him to Toews, but NCAA points I felt aren't as comparable. He is (to me) Monahan with a higher offensive ceiling. Even having two 60-70pt, very strong 2-way centers on the top 2 lines makes any team difficult to play against.
Also, can anyone name any #1 centers who don't have standout qualities in the area of hockey sense and hands? Go ahead, name one. Reinhart has a very decent shot. His playmaking and finishing is very good, but not elite. He is a playmaking center who when pushed to the wing (MacDavid) has a wonderful nose for the net and finishes well. Just because he is not a sniper doesn't mean he is doubtful to become a #1 center. It isn't like he has a weak shot. He also has good speed.
Outside of something derailing his development, he WILL become a #1 center in the NHL. The numbers justify it. His size justifies it. His VERY high hockey IQ justifies it. His skills justify it. Add in a wonderful 200ft game...This kid is the real deal.
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