Nashville Predators prospect Cameron Reid is a Memorial Cup champion.
The 19-year-old defenseman guided the Kitchener Rangers to their third Memorial Cup victory in franchise history Sunday, May 31. Reid tallied two secondary assists in the title-clinching game against the Everett Silvertips. He finished the tournament with one goal and six points and a +9 rating.
"It's been a long year. to have this is a dream," Reid said. "There's a lot of ups and downs. You battle through each and every year, and we got the job done this year."Via CHL Youtube
Reid spent the last three years with the Rangers, playing 173 regular season games and recording 133 points. He finished this season with a career-high 56 points (15 goals, 41 assists), doing so in 10 less games to beat his previous high of 54 points from last season.
He served as the team's captain for the season and previously an alternate captain.
"I'm very honored wearing [the C]," Reid said. "We had a great team this with a lot of great characters, and I'm very fortunate to have that and to be a leader in that type of team it's very lucky."Via CHL Youtube
The Predators drafted Reid with 21st overall in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, one of three players selected by the team in the first round (No. 5 Brady Martin and No. 26 Ryker Lee). He's set to join the Wolverines at University of Michigan alongside Predators goalie prospect Jack Ivankovic.
Reid was a highly regarded prospect heading into the NHL draft, being consistently ranked in the top 20. Scouts noted he was a skilled, mobile two-way defenseman with a high upside.
"Reid can catch low-to-high passes in crossovers toward the middle, beat an approaching defender, and drive down the wing for a shot or a slot pass. They have no chance of catching him, his explosive skating carrying him past them in a second. He can retrieve pucks, shake forechecking pressure using his edges and the net and carry the puck out."EliteProspects 2025 NHL Draft Guide
The Predators will have a lot to look forward to upon his arrive in Bridgestone Arena. He'll be crucial to the opening of the Smashville youth movement in the coming years.
Reid to play big role in next chapter of Smashville hockey
Tanner Molendyk, Andrew Gibson, Ryan Ufko and now Cameron Reid are set to lead the Predators blueline. Nashville is beginning to solidify itself as one of the top young defensive powerhouses in the league. Reid's Memorial Cup Win adds more prestige to the title.
Reid is the ideal defender for Nashville. His two-way playstyle along with his puck-moving skills give off resemblances of former Mattias Ekholm. Ekholm was a staple to the Predators blueline, and the team's struggled in his absence. If Reid pans out to be the defenseman scouts projected him to be, the Predators could have their next Ekholm replacement.
The organization has time to make way for Reid. The left side is practically locked up with Roman Josi, Brady Skjei and Nicolas Hague. In two, three years' time when Reid takes that next step and becomes a full-time NHLer, there will need to be a spot in the lineup for him. The competition between him and Molendyk on the left side will demand a healthy number of minutes to be freed up. With the idea of Josi's retirement, and new management in the works, a spot for both is pretty safe.
If Reid is given an opportunity to occupy to top-four position on the blueline, it isn't unrealistic to envision him being a solid 40-point defender for Nashville's future. It'll only be a matter of time before Reid joins the Predators playoff hunt race.
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