David Reinbacher assigned to Laval Rocket

On Wednesday, the Montreal Canadiens announced they assigned defenseman David Reinbacher to the Laval Rocket.

The Laval Rocket wasted no time elevating him into their starting lineup, for a matchup against the Manitoba Moose. Reinbacher, 19, was drafted in 2023 fifth overall by Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton. The Austrian defender had high hopes to play a season in the NL with EHC Kloten, before signing with the Habs at the end of their season.

To say Reinbacher has dealt with adversity, would be an understatement. Kloten was awful all year, and it forced the right defenseman to play more of a defensive role. He thrived in the role, and showed tremendous maturity defensively, and the preceding step was inking his entry-level deal.

Reinbacher finished the 2023-24 with the Rocket, but the team failed to qualify for the Calder Cup playoffs. Montreal's top right defence hopeful played 11 games with the Rocket down the stretch. He had high hopes to make a statement at Canadiens training camp in October '24, but an awkward spill during the preseason put his playing aspirations on pause.

Defensively, I don't feel like there was much that he needed to prove, aside from maybe working on gap control and defensive positioning on the smaller ice. Which is something that he will catch onto, timing and reading plays, so he can better anticipate when to cut off attacker's. He is big and strong, and his mobility is very impressive, which helps him tremendously without the puck.

With the puck is another conversation, and because of the limited opportunities for offence on an especially poor Kloten team, Reinbacher didn't display a whole lot. What he did display was rather encouraging - swift skating, heavy board play and a great defensive stick; aided by his long reach.

But the shot, puck skills and offensive processor have yet to show much, a particularly difficult task admittedly with only 11 games.

He did score the beauty above, which displayed a lot of encouraging tools that Reinbacher employs. Anticipation and positioning stand out because it allowed him to intercept the puck. His vision, skill in transition and creativity earned him a golden opportunity, and he used a quick release for his first AHL goal.

Given the fact that he had a period transition from the NL to the AHL the first time, I don't expect to see this right away. But some good signs would be him touching the puck a lot. Giving him some time on the penalty kill and power play would be ideal, so he can hone his gap control and offensive game.

It will be a process, but I think that Reinbacher has the highest potential of all Canadiens right defence options. Logan Mailloux is there, but defensively he isn't close to Reinbacher. I think Bogdan Konyushkov will be an option down the road, but right now, there is nobody else worth discussing.

Let's temper expectations

Reinbacher's return will subsequently bring forth high expectations from the media and the fanbase. Montreal is the hockey mecca, and the fans keep the barn on 1909 Av. des Canadiens-de-Montreal full every night. So a fifth-round pick is something that is of high importance to the city of Montreal.

But those expectations need to be met with some patience, and until they are, many may be left disappointed. This is a serious knee injury that Reinbacher suffered, and while he is healthy, it doesn't mean that he will have a Sidney Crosby or Connor McDavid return from injury. Those guys are superstars, and Reinbacher is a 19-year-old defender with 11 AHL games under his belt.

I have high hopes that he becomes a top-pair right defenseman for the Canadiens, and I think he has the potential to do so. Reinbacher plays a smart defensive game, and physically he is big and strong. I think that he is the ideal partner for Lane Hutson down the road, and I am excited to watch him get there.

Reinbacher will reach his potential in due time, but rushing him or asking him to be something he is not is unfair to the player.