2nd overall pick in the last @NHL draft, @BuffaloSabres prospect Sam Reinhart is looking sharp and focused. #WJC2015 pic.twitter.com/JpJ0In7zSM
— 2015 World Juniors (@HC_WJC) August 4, 2014
Team Canada head coach Benoit Groulx has nothing but high praise for Samson Reinhart. That's the hold that Reinhart has on hockey people. They immediately marvel about his mature-beyond-his years demeanor, his humility, high skill level and high hockey IQ.
Having just spent a week with the Buffalo Sabres’ second overall draft choice at Canada's WJC development camp in suburban Montreal, Groulx was afforded the opportunity to spend quality time with the kid that he hopes will be his #1 centerman when the World Juniors tourney kicks of in Montreal on Boxing Day. Groulx is hoping and wishing that Santa Claus will be delivering a gift wrapped Reinhart beneath Team Canada's Christmas tree this year December 25.
Canada's collective fingers are crossed.
Reinhart was one of the 38 Canadian difference-makers who are all vying for a roster spot on head on Groulx's final 22-man roster.Groulx is a realist. As a junior coach, he knows that his stars like Reinhart and Curtis Lazar (Ottawa) are in high demand right now by their respective NHL club coaches and GMs. Groulx knows that Canada is a better, more potent squad with Samson on its roster. Not just offensively, but in terms of leadership as well.
"Sam Reinhart is the kind of player that, when everything is disorganized on the ice, when he touches the puck, everything gets organized again," said Groulx.told the Canadian Press earlier this week in Montreal.
"That's a sign that he knows what he's doing, it's a sign of maturity, it's a sign of a very good hockey player. "Sam is doing everything right. He's a great young man who loves the game."
Reinhart is keeping all of the demand on his time and talents in the proper perspective. He wants to lock-down his singular focus on nothing more than earning his sweater on Groulx’s Team Canada roster. Most 18-year-olds in Reinhart’s skates would be geeking on the opportunity to say goodbye to junior hockey and trade it all away for the opportunity to jump into the NHL.
Not Reinhart.
Reinhart scored two goals for Team Canada on Tuesday as Canada at the National Junior Team Summer Development Camp with a 6-2 victory over the Czech Republic
On Reinhart's first goal, I like how after the neutral zone re-group that he, Ritchie (Ducks) and Duclair (Rangers) used their skill, speed and smarts to back off the Czech D. Reinhart earns an A+ grade for his quick catch-quick release goal on the cross-box feed from Mikhail Grigorenko's former Quebec Remparts teammate, Anthony Duclair.
On his second goal, Reinhart, wearing the "C" on his sweater, escaped the human car wash in the trapezoid then slipped into the hole in the Czech D. Reinhart made the Czechs pay for leaving him wide ass open.
"I'm here this week trying to give myself the best opportunity to make the team," said earlier this week after he scored twice in the Canada win over of the Czechs. "It's (Team Canada camp) gone well so far," added Reinhart. "It's always tough for a lot of the guys coming in during the summer. After the first two practices, things have really started picking up. There are always going to be a few more mistakes now than when December comes, but we're aware of that, and we're battling through that."
Last month, the red carpet to Pegulaville was rolled out to welcome Reinhart to hockey-crazed Buffalo during the Sabres’ rookie development camp. The early returns are in and the Buffalo fan base has already fallen head over skates in love with the slick, two-way pivot. Having just finished 30th overall in the NHL, Buffalo fans are looking for a hero to lead them out of the gutter and up to the penthouse. Reinhart represents the present and future. Sabres fans want Reinhart and they want him now. They want him to play the #1 center position and they are ready to petition Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown to present the key to the city to Samson. Sabres GM Tim Murray wasted no time getting Reinhart’s autograph on his three year entry level contract. The kid is now cleared for NHL take off. Which runway will he be taxiing out to?
NHL? Major juniors? Team Canada?
Buffalo Hearts Samson. It’s a love story.
Samson, the son of former NHL hero Paul Reinhart is in no hurry to get to the NHL. The Kootenay star ( 101 goals scored in 2013 career games; 2014 Player of The Year in “The Dub…) wants Buffalo fans to pump the brakes and take a deep breath. When the time is right for Samson, he will make his NHL debut. He's not worried about it one iota.
Reinhart, who turns 19 in November, has a long history of playing for Team Canada and relishes the opportunity to do so this time around. Reinhart contributed to Canada’s gold medal at the U18 junior world cup in 2012, and at the U18 IIHF world championship in 2013. At the 2014 world junior championship in Sweden, Samson potted two goals and had three assists in seven games played. Canada lost to Russia in the bronze medal game and the funk continues for Canadian hockey today.
The 2015 World Junior Hockey Championships are being played on home snow and ice in Toronto and Montreal. The gold medal game will be played 90 minutes east of Buffalo in downtown Toronto. Canada has finished fourth overall at the WJCs two years in a row. Canada hasn’t tasted WJC gold in the past five tournaments after winning five straight from 2005 to 2009. The drought has to end eventually. But when? Like Buffalo Sabres fans, Team Canada fans are looking for a hero of their own. Samson Reinhart may just be the hero du jour for his entire county of 30 million hockey fanatics as well as the 1+ million members of the #PegulaMafia.
Tug-of-war-much?
Samson isn’t allowing himself to be distracted by all of the love and adulation for him.
"A lot of the guys who were there feel it," said Reinhart of Canada's tough loss to the Russians. "It's not an easy tournament to win by any means. We felt we were getting better each day throughout that tournament, and it was one slip-up that cost us. We know how fast it can all be taken away, and you can't take that for granted."
"It's not really on my mind right now," he said. "I'm just trying not to think about it too much. When I have the opportunity to make my name in Buffalo, I'll be focused there as well."
Tim Murray and Ted Nolan will eventually control Samson’s Christmas and New Years 2015 plans. He will either be a Buffalo Sabre center on a needed break after playing his first 90 days of his NHL career, or, he may be representing his country on home ice. Reinhart hasn’t earned his Buffalo roster spot yet, however, if/when he does, Murray will reserve the right to green light excusing Reinhart from Buffalo’s roster to pursue his Team Canada dream.
However, that’s not a given. Right now, its just an option. You’ll recall that Team Canada’s John Tavares wrecked his knee at the Olympics in 2014. His season ended abruptly. Earlier this week, Reinhart's Team Canada teammate Aaron Ekblad suffered a concussion in a meaningless world juniors exhibition game. The first overall pick in the 2015 draft was sent home from Montreal to begin his recovery program. Its not known right now if Ekblad will have lingering concussion effects when Florida Panthers training camp begins in September. A potential injury to Reinhart will certainly factor into Murray’s final decision to let him play or not for Team Canada. Grouxl knows that he has no say in the Reinhart matter.
"Sometimes, when you look at your line-up and you have guys like Reinhart, you realize how good they are when you're on the ice with them," said Groulx. "We want them to be in the show, but in a selfish way, you'd like to have them with you at Christmas time."
Ditto Sabres fans all over the USA and Canada..