I've been really paying close attention to Reid since early-December. I also saw him play a lot last year as I was closely following Mesar on the team.
All of which to say that to me Reid's just very fun to watch as a defenseman for Kitchener, definitely has good pro potential as a strong puck-transition and offensive D, but that I see quite a bit of "bust factor" in his game too.
For one, I don't like Reid's play along the boards; he's often un-energetic and I find that the angles he takes to try and get body position on opposing forwards need major refinement. Then there's also the fact that I am NOT the biggest fan of Reid's defensive reads overall at this point in time as I find that he can be a bit slow to react/adjust defensively, and sometimes positions himself in areas of the ice where he neither covers dangerous areas of the slot nor is in a particularly good spot to start playing some man-to-man if a puck-carrier comes close to him (no-man's land defensively I'd call it).
Similarly, I find that Reid neither excels in boxing-out opposing forwards near the net (owing to strength mostly), nor is he particularly good at tying-up sticks at opportune moments (timing, technique problems), and the same is true for Reid's inability to consistently block passing/shooting lanes (reads, positioning).
And those lackluster defensive tools of Reid's are further exacerbated by the fact that I've seen Cameron Reid sometimes shy-away from contact/physical battles in front of the net, even in important situations, making me question his compete level defensively.
If Reid played with more urgency defensively, it'd make me overlook a lot of his current issues defensively because with a bit of maturing and adjustments Reid would likely be able to adapt.
But with those questions that I have about Reid's willingness to engage defensively, the lackluster defensive tools that he has by NHL standards get compounded, and that makes me a bit doubtful as to whether or not he'll be able to have a long and successful career in the NHL.
Skating-wise, I think that Reid is a pretty good and well-rounded skater (in that he doesn't have a clear weakness in his skating) but that not a single one of his core skating skills (edges, agility, straight-line speed, acceleration, etc.) is or projects to be elite in the NHL.
Inversely, when it comes to transition and offensive play Reid starts to shine and gets "fun to watch" very, very quickly.
When he manages to get possession of the puck in the defensive zone, Reid is equally as capable of rushing-out with the puck on his stick as he is passing it to a forward for a quick zone exit, an invaluable skill to have for a modern defenseman.
But what I like most about Reid's game is the fast pace at which he makes plays offensively, and the sheer quality of the chances that ensue from those same decisions for his teammates (elite playmaking).
Simply put, if/when Reid gets the puck in the offensive zone, a couple seconds later that same puck is on one of his teammate's stick in a dangerous position to score; that's the pattern for a LOT of Cameron Reid's plays offensively.
Given what I've seen of Reid's play, I'd have him solidly in the 1st round as my 7th defensemen on the board. Based on playmaking and talent only Reid would be much higher in this list, maybe as high as third defenseman on the board (after Schaefer and Smith), but Reid's difficulties in his own zone and some questionable work ethic at times have me worried a bit hence why I currently have him lower than guys like Mrtka, Hensler, Fiddler, Schaefer, Smith, and Aitcheson, in no order.
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