Reid McNeill is the new defenseman in the ranks of the Dragons

The players of Olimpija Ljubljana will begin their playoff campaign on March 10 with an away game, while their quarterfinal opponent will be known by the end of the week. The team was joined today by Reid McNeill, the final addition of this season. Following the injuries to Bine Mašič and Clay Kirichenko, Reid will be one of the pillars of the defense.

Reid McNeill is a robust, defense-oriented defenseman who was selected in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins. He then spent the majority of his career in North America playing for their AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

McNeill began his European hockey career in the EBEL league, the predecessor of today’s ICE Hockey League, with Dornbirn. From there, he moved to Denmark to join the Herning Blue Foxes, and over the past five seasons he has played in Germany’s top league, the DEL, representing Frankfurt. With the Frankfurt Lions, he also served as team captain for three seasons and was one of the key players thanks to his leadership qualities.

Upon signing the contract, HK Olimpija director Anže Ulčar emphasized:
“Reid was on our wish list for next season. Given our current injury issues, we rolled up our sleeves and, after considerable effort, convinced Frankfurt to release him to us already this year. He is a tough and physical player, excellent defensively, relentless and determined. A true leader both on the ice and in the locker room. The kind of player every coach wants to have in the playoffs, when hockey becomes even more physical.”