The Montreal Canadiens will play their final preseason game of the year tonight when they face the Ottawa Senators.
The Habs still have some final decisions to make when it comes to the opening night roster. This final exhibition game will give them one last chance to view and pick apart players games and decide who will be the final cuts.
One player who was already cut was one of the most prominent names watched in training camp when it began. There were 72 players on the opening training camp roster back on September 21st, and a lot of eyes were focused on David Reinbacher when the team held its first few skates.
Reinbacher was the team’s first round pick, being taken fifth overall in the 2023 NHL Draft. He is a big right shot defenseman and projects to eventually become a top pairing defender who can play tons of minutes and provide some offense from the blue line as well. How much offense is yet to be determined as his size and physicality will allow his defensive game to shine first.
Though all eyes were on him during training camp, the Canadiens made the right decision and sent him back to Switzerland where he will play for Kloten, where he suited up last season.
He played his first game of the season yesterday, and got on the scoreboard as well. Although his goal was an empty netter, it was about a pretty smart, skilled shot that led to the goal. I suppose scoring what is considered a skilled empty netter is like being among the fastest turtles, but it was something.
One game, one goal. #Habs David Reinbacher returns to the National League with a great empty net goal. pic.twitter.com/ZSE8jo9Vjo
— Patrik Bexell (@Zeb_Habs) October 6, 2023
Reinbacher was in his own zone and had several opposing players between him and the empty net at the other end. So, he just flipped the puck high enough to get over them, but also hard enough that they would not be able to get back to the net to stop it.
Again, it is an empty net goal so we aren’t considering him a goal scorer because of it, but it was his first goal of the season and a pretty heads up play to seal the deal on a win for his team.
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