Preds Prospect Reid Captains Junior Club to Memorial Cup Championship

Cameron Reid fulfilled one childhood dream last June when he was drafted 21st overall by the Nashville Predators. Last month, he brought another vision to life.

The 19-year-old defenseman captained the Kitchener Rangers to their third-ever Memorial Cup, posting six points (1g-5a) during the four-game series. 

“We grow up and that's one of the biggest dreams, to win the Memorial Cup,” Reid said via phone following the championship. “It was a fun playoff run. The guys battled, and we had such good crowds too at home. We made it a good memory, so it was really fun to win it all and top off that season with the end goal.”

Reid led Kitchener to a 20-2 playoff run, securing the Ontario Hockey League Championship before a 4-0 series sweep to clinch the Memorial Cup. While the record was dominant, Reid said the wins made the championship look easier than it was; most games were won by just one goal. 

The Preds prospect finished the playoffs with 14 points (2g-12a) for a plus-11 rating, earning a spot on the Memorial Cup All-Star Team. He also tallied 56 points during the regular season after missing the first couple games due to injury.

Amid the excitement, the season was also a learning experience for Reid. Each win brought him closer to the Memorial Cup, but they also brought physical and mental challenges.

“It's just being a little more strong mentally,” Reid said. “It’s a long regular season. Once you get in the playoffs, it's a different animal too, so you have to pick up your game. For me, I learned just how to keep going. It's a long year, and there's certain days where you're just not having it, but you’ve got to keep going, and it's just a part of the business.”

After spending three seasons with Kitchener, Reid can easily say that the game is more fun in the win column. But this past campaign was also set apart by everything that led him there. It was the first time Reid experienced a complete playoff run with Kitchener, something that made the year more memorable.

Reid’s game has grown each season in the OHL, along with his point production and leadership title. And while he’s not in Nashville quite yet, he’s leaned into advice from Preds Captain Roman Josi. 

“He leads by his actions more than words, and he's a really good leader that way,” Reid said about Josi. “He's a left-shot defenseman just like I am, so I've always kind of tried to remind myself, just be like Josi with our Kitchener team… He takes a lot of pride in every single zone of the ice, whether it's defense or offense. I think that's what he does best.” 

Reid has stayed in contact with Preds scouts and management throughout the season, and said he often thought back to conversations with Josi and Preds Alternate Captain Ryan O’Reilly during last season’s training camp.

He’s taken their recommendations, but also remained focused on his game at Kitchener - trusting that the NHL will come when the time is right. 

“I always tell myself, ‘Stay in the present moment,’” Reid said. “That's really all you can do. You can't really think about the past or the future. I think it's always best to just stay in the moment where your feet are right now.”

Reid’s season in Kitchener gave him an experience that challenged him in the best way — one the Preds prospect can bring with him in the years to follow. 

“You break it down, you think about every shift you play and just try to do the best to give your team a chance to win,” Reid said. “Now, you could look at it like we had a great Memorial Cup year with Kitchener. You can hopefully take that back to Nashville in the upcoming years and make an impact there, and just remember what it took with Kitchener.”

On Thursday, Reid announced his commitment to attend the University of Michigan for the upcoming season. The NCAA will be the next stop in his development, following Preds Development Camp in the upcoming weeks, which Reid is very much looking forward to. 

“That's a big thing for me, seeing everyone, and it was fun last year,” Reid said of camp. “Being back in Nashville, it's never a bad thing. It's a great city, and you have a good time at development camp. It’s all a great experience, so it's really nice.”

Just like last summer, Reid is focused on getting better in every aspect. He particularly wants to improve his physicality while maintaining the speed and agility that makes his game his own.

Reid doesn’t know exactly what the future holds, but he’s lived in the moment and enjoyed the process. And so far, that’s worked out pretty well.

“It's going to be a fun future,” Reid said. “You don't know what's going to happen, but with the experiences I've had and the memories I've created so far in hockey, it only makes it a little more exciting for what the future could hold.”