Reid learned work ethic from Thornton ahead of 2025 Draft

The 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft will be held June 27-28 at L.A. Live's Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The first round will be June 27 (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS) and Rounds 2-7 are June 28 (Noon ET; NHLN, ESPN+, SN, SN1). NHL.com is counting down to the draft with in-depth profiles on top prospects, podcasts and other features. Today, a profile on Kitchener defenseman Cameron Reid.

NHL.com's full draft coverage can be found here.

BUFFALO -- Cameron Reid is one of the fortunate few.

The 18-year-old defenseman spends his summers training in St. Thomas, Ontario, with Scott Paton at Paton's gym. There he's gotten to know one of the city's most famous sons: Joe Thornton.

Reid (6-foot, 193 pounds) plays for Kitchener in the Ontario Hockey League. Thornton grew up playing minor hockey in St. Thomas, about 20 minutes from Reid's native Aylmer, and often returns to his hometown from his residence in San Jose.

"He works hard and he's a huge motivation, especially where I'm from," Reid said. "I just love to look his way and take little things from what he does, not just in hockey but in his daily life."

Thornton retired Oct. 28, 2023, after 24 seasons as a forward with the Boston Bruins, San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers. He had 1,539 points (430 goals, 1,109 assists) in 1,714 regular-season games and 134 points (32 goals, 102 assists) in 187 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

"He keeps it light," Reid said. "He doesn't bombard you with any questions or make you feel a little overwhelmed by anything. He just gives you advice and he's always encouraging. He's a great guy to be around, and I love it."

Reid is No. 23 on NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters for the 2025 NHL Draft. He started with a B rating, projecting him as a potential second or third-round pick, moved up to No. 27 in the midterm rankings in January and now is a projected first-round selection. He had 54 points (14 goals, 40 assists) in 67 games, up from 23 points (two goals, 21 assists) in 49 games as a rookie in 2023-24. His 14 goals were tied for sixth among OHL defensemen.

"In the OHL, he's that No. 1 [defenseman]. I'm a big fan," said Nick Smith of NHL Central Scouting. "He's one of those guys you don't really notice until you actually watch him. He does so many other things when he's got the puck and he's skating and he's driving the play. His skating is elite, but he's also solid defensively. He's got a really good stick. He's smart with his body to remove pucks from guys and sees the ice so well. He's just a good all-around player."

Reid likes to model his game after Josh Morrissey of the Winnipeg Jets and Duncan Keith, a three-time Stanley Cup-winning defenseman for the Chicago Blackhawks. Like many, he's also a fan of Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby, but the admiration goes beyond their superstar talents.

"Both those guys, they're pretty cool guys because they're very good on the ice, but they're very good people off the ice too," he said.

That's something regularly noted about Reid also. He displays maturity rarely seen in players his age.

"Everything that came back to us was just A-plus-plus in terms of character and the type of person and kid he is," Kitchener general manager Mike McKenzie said. "And obviously when you see him on the ice, that's the easier part, seeing how well he skates and how talented he is."

Part of it can be attributed to Reid leaving home at 14 years old. He moved to Rochester, New York, to attend Bishop Kearney High School, a private school that in 2019 added a boarding school option for boys elite hockey students. His playing options were limited in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic, so going to Bishop Kearney was a no-brainer. He lived in a dorm, learned to cook and do laundry for himself.

"I just like to think it's the experiences and people I've been around," Reid said. "I say most of it comes from my family, my mom and dad and everyone around. And the experiences, like living away from home at a young age. I think you kind of have to be responsible and mature enough to thrive off that and have a good time wherever you are ... I just want to be the best person I can be. Be humble and kind is what I live by."

Hockey runs in Reid's family. His grandfather was once equipment manager for Erie in the OHL. His father, Bill, played at the Junior-B level and is a skills coach back home.

"He's a natural leader," McKenzie said of Reid, an alternate captain this season. "He's not a guy that needs to go out of his way to be rah-rah. He's just one of those guys where other guys on the team gravitate to him. And, yeah, given an 'A' at 17, it's obviously a big responsibility but he handled it well, and a good chance he's a future captain for us as he gets older here down the road too."