Jimmy Rieber

2025-26 Team: Waterloo Blackhawks (USHL)
Date of Birth: April 25, 2008
Place of Birth: Woodbury, MN
Ht: 6-foot-1 Wt: 175 pounds
Shoots: Right
Position: Defenseman
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2026 first-year eligible

Rankings

NHL Central Scouting Midterm Rankings (NA Skaters): 121st

Jimmy Rieber was one of the most reliable shutdown defensemen on the Waterloo Black Hawks this season. It was his first season in the United States Hockey League (USHL), and he handled a heavy workload on a team that took a step back after reaching the Clark Cup Final in 2025. He spent most of the season inside the top four and played on a few different pairings.

Related: THW’s 2026 NHL Draft Guide

Rieber is a lanky defender with a long reach and a good stick. He uses it to break up passes and close on plays, has nice hands for a shutdown d-man, and escapes pressure to make a clean pass up the ice. His skating is smooth, and he moves well for his size, with room to add more strength as he matures.

Offensively, he finished with 11 points over 60 games played, scoring two goals and adding nine assists. There is room for more production, but his defensive game stayed consistent in the latter half of the season. His appearance in the USHL Chipotle All-American Game was a big moment in his season and surely got more eyes on him from NHL scouts. He looked more comfortable as the season went on and his confidence grew. He also stayed disciplined throughout the second half, finishing with 29 penalty minutes all season, most of those coming over the first half.

Jimmy Rieber Waterloo Black Hawks — Jimmy Rieber, Waterloo Black Hawks (Photo credit: Stephanie Lyn Photography)

Rieber is driven after being ranked 121st among North American skaters in the Midterm Rankings.

He committed to Miami University on the first day he was eligible in August 2024 at 16 years old, before head coach Anthony Noreen’s first season at the helm. He watched the program closely this season – they went from three wins in the 2024-25 season to 18 in 2025-26, the most since the 2014-15 season.

“It was really exciting to watch while playing. I would check the scores after each one of my games and see how well they were doing. Coming from three wins two years ago to the big step they made was really exciting to see and be part of.”

Heading into the offseason and potentially the combine, Rieber remains focused on preparing for his second season in the USHL.

“It is pretty surreal. Looking back a couple years ago, it is hard to imagine where you would be now. It has been a lot of fun. This has been the most fun hockey I have ever played. Staying focused is just staying grounded and present and being who you are. You do not have to change anything.”

NHL Draft Projection

Rieber looks like a late-round pick, most likely the sixth or seventh round. He is currently ranked only by NHL Central Scouting, and his final spot will depend on how they view his second half of the season. His All-American Game appearance and developing two-way play give him a chance to rise a little, but he still projects as a later-round swing.

Other THW Profiles

Quotables

“Right now, I think I am more of a shutdown defenseman, but I think going into next year, my game will grow into more of a two-way style, and I will grow my offensive game. This year, I think I did a good job being a good first pass guy, breaking pucks out, shutting down the rush, having good defensive positioning, and killing penalties.” – Rieber on his development this season.

“A turning point was when I talked to him about how we want to defend around our net. The next day in practice he applied it immediately. I said to myself, if he can learn that quickly, he is going to be a fast learner.” – Waterloo head coach Scott Gordon.

Strengths

Passing
Penalty Killing
Shot Blocking
Boxing Out Around Net
Long Reach
Defensive Positioning

Under Construction/Improvements to Make

Strength
Physicality
Scoring Production
Two-Way Game

NHL Potential

Rieber has said he likes to model his game after Jaccob Slavin and Charlie McAvoy. He is still young, and this was only his first USHL season, so he has a lot of room to grow into that kind of player. If he adds strength and gains more confidence with the puck offensively, he could develop into a reliable two-way defenseman at the collegiate level in a few seasons and then work toward a role at the professional level. I could see him playing in a depth defenseman role at the NHL level or becoming an everyday top-pairing AHLer.

Risk/Reward Analysis

Risk – 3.5/5, Reward – 3/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Defense – 7/10, Offense – 4.5/10

Jimmy Rieber – 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Profile