What’s Reedy’s Ceiling?

Scott Reedy’s goals have a lot in common.

Four of Reedy’s six goals this season have come from the same place, including in tonight’s 5-2 loss to Anaheim.

Reedy redirects Megna's shot for the second goal 💪 pic.twitter.com/lx6Y51D6JM

— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) April 27, 2022

🚨 SCOTT REEDY 🚨

He swatted the puck out of midair 🤯 pic.twitter.com/uVgzHDW556

— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) April 20, 2022

Reedy off the rebound 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Fs35UvbrO9

— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) April 20, 2022

Scott Reedy scores from the blue line 🙌 pic.twitter.com/N1oU3QqRBZ

— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) March 31, 2022

San Jose Sharks head coach Bob Boughner noted recently that about 85 to 90 percent of Reedy’s Barracuda goals came from the same place: “He’s got a knack around the net. You can’t teach that. That hand-eye.”

Reedy has also been on a little bit of a hot streak recently: Five of his goals have come in the last 15 games. That’s a 20-goal pace over a full season.

So should the San Jose Sharks expect that from the 23-year-old rookie in the future?

“He does have good finish,” an NHL scout told San Jose Hockey Now. “He’s playing better than expected. But that speed may keep him from being a third-liner.”

Reedy has alternated between right wing and center this season, in mostly a fourth-line role.

“He needs to find a step,” Boughner admitted. “Work on that this summer and get a little quicker, a little faster. There’s a lot of tools there [where] he can help us.”

Boughner has lauded Reedy’s work ethic, and in tight spaces, I’ve seen his improvement with the puck (as opposed to his first call-up in November).

Sharks Showing They Still Have a Lot to Play For

But regardless, another NHL scout sees the 6-foot-2 American as more of a fourth-liner too. He put a finer point on it, noting specifically that Reedy won’t make a lot plays by himself, that he needs playmakers around him to take advantage of his genuine net front skill.

But as good as Reedy is in the blue paint, this scout has yet to see a well-rounded enough game from the 23-year-old to view him as more than a fourth-line depth scorer who can be useful on an NHL power play. Essentially, because of other limitations in his game, including his skating, Reedy won’t earn enough minutes to get to 20 or so goals on a consistent basis.

So maybe the San Jose Sharks are hoping for an ace two-way center a la Nick Bonino – but maybe their 2017 fourth-round pick is more of an offensive specialist like Alex Chiasson.

Reedy’s NHL future isn’t written, of course. He has one primary NHL skill, and it’s a very useful one – he can score goals in tight. If he can add enough game around that primary talent, he can surpass expectations yet.

“Hopefully, he has a good summer,” Boughner said, “and he comes back, and he earns a spot.”