Last September, Jimmy Rieber's task was to earn a Waterloo Black Hawks roster spot; 10 months later, Rieber is an NHL Draft pick after being chosen by the Anaheim Ducks Saturday.

The good news came during the seventh round; Rieber's name was the 210th called during the two-day event.
 
Before impressing the NHL scouts, Rieber needed to convince Waterloo coaches he was ready for the USHL during the 2025 preseason.  The 6-foot, 1-inch defenseman's play was compelling, and he went on to appear in 60 of 62 regular season contests for Waterloo.  Coaches praised Rieber as a quick learner.  

His first USHL goal was crucial to the Hawks' 4-3 comeback win against the Green Bay Gamblers in overtime on Halloween.  As the year continued, Rieber added one more goal and totaled 11 points from the blue line.

The Miami recruit was already gaining NHL prospect status near midseason.  During January, he skated with the league's top NHL Draft candidates during USA Hockey's All-American Game in Plymouth, Michigan.

Four different Black Hawks alumni have played for the Ducks.  Justin Kloos, Brandon Montour, and J.T. Brown each skated for the club at different points between 2016/17 and 2018/19.  Jason Blake – who was in Anaheim for parts of three seasons beginning in early 2010 – was the first former Waterloo player to dress for the Ducks.

Rieber will return to Waterloo for his second season with the Black Hawks this fall.

It was a big day for current and former Hawks defensemen.  During the fourth round, Waterloo alum Landon Nycz was chosen by the St. Louis Blues.  Thirty-two picks (exactly one round) later, the Blues chose Nick Bogas.  It's the first time two players with Waterloo ties have been chosen in the same draft by the same NHL club since 2016, when Blake Hillman and Jake Ryczek were both picked by the Chicago Blackhawks.