by Corey Atkinson
the Carillon

A few years ago, you were about as likely to see Eric Lindros playing for the Nordiques as you were to see Reed Low in the NHL. But this season, it just might happen.

He is what is referred to as a 'tough guy', a player who will spark his team by dropping the gloves against the opposition. It really is a tough, thankless job.

Reed never played AAA Midget, the generally accepted route into the elite hockey. He tried out for the Minot Top Guns of the SJHL, and darn it if he didn't last there.

At 18, Low was having what might have been seen as a career year with the Minot, and was given a shot in the WHL with the Regina Pats.

Norm Johnston, then-coach, gave him a few shifts in two games, he fought Ryan Bast in Prince Albert, and Reed was summarily sent back to Minot.

By the next fall, Reed was given a chance with his hometown Moose Jaw Warriors. He was released after the intrasquad game.

This is one of the many times in Reed's career when a lesser person might have given up on their dream. But he stuck to it, sucked it up and reported to Minot for another season.

He once again started to light it up in Minot, and it wasn't a month and a half later when Reed got another call from the Moose Jaw Warriors. Seems their smaller players weren't being given enough room to move on the ice.

It took Reed a few games in the season to adjust to the faster game, but he did adjust, so much so by the end of the season that he wound up being drafted - a rarity for a 19-year old - by the NHL's St Louis Blues.

Reed was supposed to try out for the Blues, but got injured in Warriors camp and prepared for another year of seasoning in the WHL.

After a succesful season in the WHL, he signed a contract with the Blues. He has spent the last two seasons with the Worcester Ice Cats of the AHL, one step away from the NHL.

This fall, with the injury to resident tough guy Tony Twist, Reed got an extended look in camp with the Blues. When the second last cuts were made, Reed was given a ticket to Worcester.

Despite the fact that no one expected him to even make a go at professional hockey, expect to see Reed Low in the NHL before too long, certainly before we see the Nordiques in the NHL.