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A Western scout still sees David Reinbacher as a future number two.
This comment is getting people talking because many fans have already checked out. For him, the important thing is to pile up games, not to chase a call-up. Because another year disrupted by injuries would change the tone quickly.
At 21 years old, the 6-foot-3, 207-pound right-shot defenseman maintains a rare profile. In 2025-2026 with the Laval Rocket, he has 10 points in 18 games, plus-5, and 8 penalty minutes. Last season, he had 5 points in 10 games in Laval.
David Reinbacher was not drafted for nothing
“I still see David Reinbacher as a defenseman who can be a number-two in the NHL alongside Lane Hutson.
For now, I’m sticking with my projection,” the scout explained.
But this year is decisive. If he loses another year of development, it becomes more concerning.”
– Via Nicolas Cloutier
“We watched clips with him before his draft this year to show him just how little space he was giving up. His information processing was quick. I was looking at his decisions with the puck, his physical play… I was telling myself: ‘OK, I understand why the Canadiens drafted him fifth.’ The Canadiens made quite a choice. That’s a hockey player.”
– Pascal Vincent
The problem with Reinbacher is that he has missed time, and that slows his curve. At the end of September, a hand injury kept him out for about four weeks.
Pascal Vincent reminds us that a new league and a new system require adjustments. He talks about common sense, and he wants to see him play often, period.
The 2023 draft debate will not disappear, especially with Matvei Michkov in the picture. But Reinbacher still has the ceiling to be a number two. If he piles up games in Laval, the Canadiens will have a much simpler decision.
Previously on All Montreal Hockey
