RIEDER’S DIGEST
By Lowetide
11 years ago
This is Tobias Rieder. His 2011-12 OHL season suggests we should pay attention to him this season. What can he do? A lot.
Rieder was selected in the 2011 entry draft, 114th overall. Some scouting services liked him better (Redline: #58) and most had nice things to say and some insight into the reasons teams were passing over him:
- Redline: Undersized, but exceptionally smart playmaking winger with excellent offensive instincts and creativity. Has decent speed, but lacks the explosive first step burst and acceleration you’d like to see in a player his size. Super soft hands and slick with the puck in tight; can create separation with sharp cuts/turns. Sees the ice very well and can saucer touch passes through traffic off either side of the blade. Makes imaginative set-ups, often surpassing his mates with unexpected plays. Average shot, but has good finishing ability from the circles in with a quick release he hides well. Anticipates developing plays, stepping in to intercept passes and start quick counterattacks in transition. Desperately needs to pack on muscle – lost weight during the season and was out of gas from January on. Not afraid to go into the corners and will take hits, but can’t battle effectively.
Rieder’s 17-year old OHL season (65, 23-26-49) was good enough to get him drafted, and his follow-up season offers more hope (60, 42-43-85). Lets break down his season by discipline and compare his 11-12 totals with two Oiler 2nd rders from 2010–Curtis Hamilton and Tyler Pitlick. We are comparing the season after each player was drafted.
EVENS
NAME | GP | G | A | PTS | PTS/GM |
CURTIS HAMILTON | 62 | 17 | 33 | 50 | .806 |
TOBIAS RIEDER | 60 | 26 | 19 | 45 | .750 |
TYLER PITLICK | 56 | 22 | 19 | 41 | .732 |
Interesting numbers here, we see that all three players had solid even strength numbers. The 26 goals by Rieder is especially interesting: Jordan Eberle scored 25 EV goals the year he popped 50 in the WHL. Rieder looks very good compared to the 2nd rders from 2010 when looking at even strength. Hamilton’s team (310 goals) was a powerhouse, Pitlick’s team (265 goals) a solid contender and Rieder’s club (253 goals) about the same. Based on those circumstances, I think you could make a case for Rieder having the superior season at even strength. Time on ice would be invaluable here.
PP
NAME | GP | G | A | PTS | PTS/GM |
TOBIAS RIEDER | 60 | 9 | 22 | 31 | .517 |
CURTIS HAMILTON | 62 | 6 | 18 | 24 | .387 |
TYLER PITLICK | 56 | 5 | 16 | 21 | .375 |
Rieder had a much better season than the other two on the PP. Rieder’s team scored 62 PP goals, telling us he was ‘in on’ half of them and that would translate to significant TOI during the man advantage. Hamilton was part of 36% of his team’s PP goals and Pitlick 30%. So we can certainly give credit to Rieder for the PP, the caveat being icetime may have been more plentiful. Rieder took advantage of any opportunity given and that’s a positive. That assist total is impressive, ranking him 8th in the OHL last season.
PK
NAME | GP | G | A | PTS | PTS/GM |
TOBIAS RIEDER | 60 | 7 | 2 | 9 | .150 |
CURTIS HAMILTON | 62 | 3 | 5 | 8 | .129 |
TYLER PITLICK | 56 | 0 | 0 | 0 | nil |
Pitlick wasn’t much of a PK option in MH and the other two guys were stalwarts at the discipline. Hamilton’s team scored 22 pk goals–leading the league–and his % of overall points (36%) matches his PP output. As well, Rieder’s team scored 17 SH goals, meaning he was part of 53% of those shorthanded goals for. As with the PP, Rieder appears to have been a TOI giant for his team.
CONCLUSIONS
Rieder’s reputation is as an undersized skill player, terrific playmaker and a basic nightmare for opposition defenders. The numbers above suggest the same, and that Rieder can be compared to 2nd rd picks Hamilton and Pitlick (remember he was a 4th rder) and appears to be tracking as well or better.
WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?
Germany has given us many things worthwhile. We don’t have time on ice, so cannot state for a fact that Rieder is a better offensive player in his year after draft than Curtis Hamilton or Tyler Pitlick were at the same point in their careers. Having said that, based on what we do know and what the numbers available tell us, it would seem to me that Stu MacGregor and his staff plucked a 2nd round player in the fourth round of the 2011 entry draft.
We know from observing Hamilton and Pitlick in the AHL that solid 18-year old junior seasons do not guarantee success at a higher level. However, Tobias Rieder can only flourish in the waters available, and he certainly has done that much so far.
Tobias Rieder is worth watching closely this coming season.
Recent articles from Lowetide
