The upcoming training camp was always going to be a big one for David Reinbacher. The fifth-overall pick in the 2023 draft hasn’t been very lucky since being picked by the Montreal Canadiens. He’s dealt with a lot of injuries, but last season he played 57 games with the Laval Rocket and two more with the Habs. Now it’s time to prove what he can do and whether he’s ready to take the next step.
While we’ve yet to get official confirmation on Kaiden Guhle’s status, that should come at the team’s golf tournament on Monday; however, as reported by Anthony Marcotte, the defenseman had to undergo surgery this summer and is still rehabbing. If that’s the case and he has to miss some time in the preseason or in the season itself, it means there’s a door wide open for Reinbacher to step into a roster spot with the big club.
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Furthermore, Arber Xhekaj still hasn’t signed a new contract, so you have to wonder whether he will be there when training camp opens. If he isn’t, the battle for a roster spot on the blueline will get a bit easier with Jayden Struble, Adam Engstrom, and Reinbacher fighting for Ghule’s spot and the sixth defenseman role. Three defensemen for two chairs. That’s better than four defensemen for one chair.
Given how Martin St-Louis used his defensemen in the playoffs, it’s clear that he doesn’t feel like Struble or Xhekaj can handle playing as much as his other blueliners, meaning that if a youngster can earn his trust, he might get to play an important role and get meaningful minutes.
Reinbacher being the only right-shot defenseman of the bunch gives him a bit of an edge, even if Engstrom can play on his off side; in an ideal world, Reinbacher would grab the opportunity being offered with both hands, and the Canadiens could finally have a balanced blueline including three right-shot defensemen with Noah Dobson and Alex Carrier.
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On Thursday, three groups skated in Brossard: a first group which featured the players who will take part in the rookie camp, a second group which included the players who played in Laval last season, such as Alex Belzile, Owen Beck and Florian Xhekaj; and a third group which was solely made up of NHL players and Reinbacher. Of course, this was an informal practice, which means that Martin St-Louis didn’t get a say in who played with which group, but it’s still a positive sign for the young defenseman.
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