Mitch Reinke Explained

Mitch Reinke
Team:Eisbären Berlin
League:DEL
Former Teams:St. Louis Blues
Position:Defense
Height Ft:5
Height In:11
Weight Lbs:181
Shoots:Right
Birth Date:1996 2, mf=yes
Birth Place:Stillwater, Minnesota, U.S.
Draft:Undrafted
Career Start:2018

Mitchell Jon Reinke (born February 4, 1996) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman who is currently playing under contract with Eisbären Berlin in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). He has formerly played with the St. Louis Blues in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Early life

Reinke was born on February 4, 1996, in St. Paul, Minnesota, to parents Chris and Mickie Reinke. He came from an athletic family as his father played hockey at Hamline University and his sister played soccer at the University of Minnesota.[1] He also has another sister, Kelsey.[2] Upon graduating from Hamline, his father became a masters division world championship boxer.[3]

Playing career

Reinke attended Stillwater High before playing junior hockey with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the United States Hockey League (USHL).[3]

He committed to play collegiate hockey with Michigan Tech of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA). In his freshman season in 2016–17 season, Reinke developed a scoring touch and sound defensive game with 20 points in 41 games to earn a selection to the WCHA All-Rookie Team.[1]

In the following 2017–18 season, Reinke notched a new career high with 24 points in 35 games before opting to end his collegiate career after his sophomore year in signing as an Undrafted free agent to a two-year, entry-level contract with the St. Louis Blues on March 26, 2018.[4] Reinke was immediately added to the Blues roster and made his NHL debut with the Blues in a 6–0 defeat to the Arizona Coyotes on March 31, 2018.[5]

After spending his first three full professional seasons within the Blues organization, Reinke was not tendered a qualifying offer to be released as a free agent. On September 2, 2021, he was signed to a one-year contract to continue in the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the primary affiliate to the Pittsburgh Penguins.[6]

Following two productive seasons within the Penguins organization, Reinke was rewarded with an NHL contract as a free agent, in signing a one-year, two-way deal with the Seattle Kraken on September 2, 2023.[7]

Having played his first seven professional seasons in North America, Reinke opted to pursue a European career at the conclusion of his contract with the Kraken, signing a one-year deal with German club, Eisbären Berlin of the DEL, on July 16, 2024.[8]

Career statistics

Team League GP GPG A Pts PIM
2011–12Stillwater HighUSHS2121012020000
2012–13Stillwater HighUSHS2331114820110
2013–14Stillwater HighUSHS23514191230002
2014–15Cedar Rapids RoughRidersUSHL55219211030000
2015–16Cedar Rapids RoughRidersUSHL56525302251126
2016–17Michigan TechWCHA416142020
2017–18Michigan TechWCHA353212431
2017–18St. Louis BluesNHL10000
2018–19San Antonio RampageAHL7612334520
2019–20San Antonio RampageAHL465172220
2020–21Utica CometsAHL18210122
2020–21St. Louis BluesNHL10000
2021–22Wilkes-Barre/Scranton PenguinsAHL6332427660332
2022–23Wilkes-Barre/Scranton PenguinsAHL52126278
2023–24Coachella Valley FirebirdsAHL2514512
NHL totals1000010000

Awards and honors

AwardYear
USHL
All-Rookie Second Team
College
WCHA All-Rookie Team2016–17[9]
All-WCHA Third Team2017–18[10]
AHL
All-Rookie Team2018–19[11]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mitch Reinke . michigantechhuskies.com . May 8, 2021.
  2. Web site: A dream deferred . presspubs.com . May 8, 2021 . September 20, 2007.
  3. News: Johnson. Jeff . Reinke grows into next hockey challenge . May 8, 2021 . The Gazettte . November 26, 2014.
  4. Web site: Blues sign three players to entry-level contracts . . 2018-03-26 . 2018-03-26.
  5. Web site: Blues shutout by Coyotes . . 2018-03-31 . 2018-04-01.
  6. Web site: Penguins sign defenseman Mitch Reinke . . September 2, 2021 . September 2, 2021.
  7. Web site: Welcome to the deep! . . September 2, 2023 . September 2, 2023.
  8. Web site: Eisbären Berlin sign defenseman Mitch Reinke . . July 16, 2024 . July 16, 2024 . German .
  9. Web site: Awards - NCAA (WCHA) Rookie All-Star Team . Elite Prospects . 2018-11-15.
  10. Web site: WCHA announces 2017-18 All-WCHA Teams . uscho.com . 2018-03-08 . 2018-03-08.
  11. Web site: 2018-19 American Hockey League All-Rookie Team Named . OurSports Central . April 10, 2019.