Kevin Reidler is about to get a real look in North America, and the next step comes with actual stakes attached. The 21-year-old goaltender, who turns 22 in September, is set to begin his entry-level contract this season after signing an amateur tryout agreement with the Belleville Senators back in March.
The Senators took Reidler 151st overall in the fifth round of the 2022 NHL Draft, betting on a 6-foot-6 frame that already jumps off the page. That size is the first thing anyone notices, and it’s a big part of why Ottawa is intrigued.
Reidler covers a ton of net, moves better than you’d expect for a goalie his size, and can get across the crease well enough to take away cross-ice looks. He also handles the battle area around the blue paint effectively.
But the rough edges are still there. At times, he gets caught without his feet set before shots arrive.
He can lean too far toward shooters. And rebound control remains a work in progress, especially when pucks end up sitting under him.
The next stage of his development will be about cleaning that up - directing shots to safer areas, or smothering them faster - while using his size in a more controlled way.
Reidler’s first pro sample last season was tiny, but it did give him a taste of the job. He played in two games for Belleville and finished 1-1.
His debut start was a 3-0 loss to the Utica Comets, followed by a 6-4 win over the Syracuse Crunch. Over those appearances, he stopped 50 of 57 shots for a .877 save percentage.
The numbers aren’t flashy, but with only two games, they don’t tell the whole story.
This season should tell a lot more. Reidler is expected to open in Belleville and compete with Jackson Parsons for starts. Parsons played 14 games for the Belleville Senators last season, but spent most of the year in the ECHL before coming back up in April to finish the season.
Reidler’s path to this point has already taken him through two NCAA stops. The Swedish netminder spent the past two seasons in college hockey, most recently at Penn State, where he got his chance in the Big Ten.
He transferred there after a strong first season at the University of Nebraska Omaha, and Penn State gave him an opportunity this past year. The season eventually went sideways in late February, when inconsistency crept in and he lost the starting job to freshman Joshua Fleming.
He didn’t start during Penn State’s NCAA Tournament run and backed up as the team was knocked out in the first round by the University of Minnesota Duluth.
The Senators’ goaltending picture gives Reidler a clear place to start. With the expectation that Leevi Meriläinen will begin the season in Ottawa, Reidler should at least be in Belleville to open the year. Ottawa’s crease also includes Linus Ullmark and Samuel Ersson, while Lucas Beckman continues to develop in the QMJHL and could be on a faster track if his progression keeps going.
That kind of depth makes Reidler’s season all about proving he can stick. He doesn’t need to force his way toward NHL minutes right away, but he does need to show enough consistency to stay in the AHL and climb the organization’s pecking order. Goaltenders take time, and the Senators seem prepared to give him that.
If Meriläinen were to clear waivers, it would complicate the picture, though that remains unlikely. In that scenario, Reidler would have to show he deserves to stay in Belleville rather than sliding down to the ECHL. The control is not fully in his hands, but strong play can change the conversation fast.
For now, Reidler remains a long-term project. His footwork, rebound management, and overall consistency still need polish, and there’s no immediate push for him to see NHL action.
A reasonable timeline would have him pushing for NHL consideration in about three years. If the development keeps trending in the right direction, he could also become a useful trade chip for Steve Staios down the road.
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