Peter Reynolds, a five-star prospect, moved away from his home in Fredericton, NB, at 12 years old to play prep school in Boston for one season. He then departed for Shattuck St. Mary’s and recently committed to Boston College. The ’03 is a mature forward who can score, break opponents down and make decisions quickly.
Neutral Zone caught up with Reynolds, who is eligible for the 2021 draft.
Neutral Zone: How and when did you start playing hockey?
Peter Reynolds: I started when I was about three on my backyard rink and I think just growing up in Canada there was always an influence on kids to play so I think I was just born with it.
NZ: What’s your earliest memory of playing hockey?
PR: Probably when I was five in New Hampshire, I scored a goal off the goalie’s helmet to go to the finals and I’ve just always remembered that moment.
NZ: What was your youth hockey experience like?
PR: It wasn’t anything special, just playing in Fredericton played, started when I was five and once I turned 12 I went to Boston and played for a prep school there. Then a year later I was [at Shattuck] and then this is my second year here.”
NZ: How did you decide to go to Boston and then to Shattuck?
PR: I’ve always been interested in the education route and the college route, and my parents thought it would be a great idea to go south to America where hockey is definitely on the rise. They just decided Boston would be the best place to go, and then I ended up here.
NZ: Where you exposed to college hockey at all growing up and at what point did you decide that that’s the route you wanted to take?
PR: I wasn’t too involved with college hockey when I was younger, but as I grew older and about 12, I started to take hockey very seriously. My parents were always on me about education, so they started looking into college and then I started to get involved with looking at colleges and it just seemed like an amazing place to be.”
NZ: What other schools did you talk to and where else did you visit?
PR: I talked to Notre Dame and Penn State. I visited both at both schools and those were probably, and obviously Boston College, but those were probably the biggest three that I looked into.”
NZ: What made you choose BC?
PR: It just seemed like it was the most like home. It’s not too far from home too, and it was just at the bottom of my heart ever since I looked at colleges that interested me.
NZ: What’s the toughest challenge you’ve faced in hockey?
PR: I’d say probably leaving home, just adapting to not having my parents there every time I played and having to learn to mentally and physically prepare myself for games. Then eventually after a few years I got the hang of it and was used to not having my parents there every day, so that was probably the hardest thing.”
NZ: What was the process like to adapt moving away at such a young age, and was there anyone in particular who helped you?
PR: There were definitely a lot of people around at the school I went to who helped me be comfortable and not feel homesick, but I think my parents probably were the best. They were always contacting me and making sure everything was all right and seeing if I needed anything. I’d probably say my parents helped me a lot with that.”
NZ: What would you say to someone who’s considering moving away at such a young age to pursue their hockey career?
PR: If something doesn’t seem like you’re going to enjoy it, just try it, because you never know. I didn’t think I would love it, but I got to school and it was just probably the best experience I’ve had in my life so far. Just look into things and don’t be hesitant.”
NZ: The college hockey recruiting age is getting younger and younger. How did you make this decision now, and was it any more difficult for you to make it at this age as opposed to later?
PR: My parents and I have been talking about it and talking to colleges for a few years, and eventually this year it seemed like we had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to do. Schools started approaching and eventually we thought long and hard if I wanted to decide where I wanted to go, and eventually we thought now would be a good opportunity. My parents made me think awhile because it’s a very big decision, so they made me think for a few months and I think I had a good understanding what decision I was making. Eventually I knew that Boston College was the place so I made my decision.”
NZ: Did you take into account what you wanted to study or did you mostly look at the hockey program and how you fit into that culture?
PR: No I definitely thought about what I want to study. I’m probably going to study business while I’m there. My dad’s a businessman, so I think he had a good influence on that, and it seems like most hockey players these days are studying business.”
