Montreal Canadiens prospect David Reinbacher is approaching a significant career milestone this weekend as the Laval Rocket defenceman prepares for his 12th regular-season game on Sunday against Hershey.
Overcoming Early Career Adversity
Despite being nearly two years into his professional hockey career, the 21-year-old Austrian has managed only 44 total games including playoffs due to consecutive injury setbacks. Reinbacher hasn't played more than 11 regular-season games in any single season since being selected fifth overall by the Canadiens in the 2023 NHL draft.
The promising defenceman suffered a serious knee injury requiring surgery during an exhibition game against Toronto last season, keeping him sidelined until February. In another cruel twist of fate, Reinbacher broke his hand while blocking a shot during a pre-season match against the Maple Leafs this year, causing him to miss four weeks before making his AHL debut on October 31 against Rochester.
Finding Strength Through Setbacks
"One or two times you think, 'Why is it me?'" Reinbacher admitted after a recent practice. "But it's not in your hands. It's God's decision. One door closes and another opens up. Don't feel sorry for yourself. Make the best of it. Stand up again."
The 6-foot-3, 200-pound defenceman refuses to label his injuries as setbacks, instead focusing on the personal growth they've facilitated. "For sure, I missed some time, but you learn on the other side," Reinbacher explained. "You grow as a human. You grow from a kid to a man. That was important, for sure, for my development."
Reinbacher's resilience is paying dividends on the ice. He's coming off a productive weekend against Belleville where he recorded a goal and an assist last Friday followed by two goals in Laval's 7-2 victory on Saturday. Through 10 games this season, he has accumulated three goals and seven points.
Building Toward an NHL Future
With Adam Engstrom promoted to the Canadiens, Reinbacher can expect increased responsibility during Laval's two-game road trip beginning Saturday against Lehigh Valley. The right-handed shot understands his unique value to a Canadiens team stacked with left-shooting defencemen, but emphasizes patience in his development path.
"I see the big picture," Reinbacher stated. "It's not a sprint. It's a marathon. You have a long career, hopefully. I don't want to go up there and get sent down again. I want to go up and stay for a long, long time. Go up there and have success with the team."
Laval head coach Pascal Vincent defended his player against suggestions he might be injury-prone. "The first one, he's making a play and gets hit," Vincent explained. "He's willing to take hits to make plays. The other one, he's blocking a shot. That's what we ask from all of our players. He just got unlucky."
While Reinbacher's offensive capabilities were a primary reason for his high draft selection, the organization is focused on developing his two-way game and defensive reliability. Vincent describes Reinbacher as intelligent and easy to coach, while acknowledging the challenges he's faced adapting to North America while dealing with significant injuries.
"He gets the expectations," Vincent said. "We have to leave that on the side and look where we're at today, considering what he has been through. If we want to judge somebody, we might as well have all the facts in front of us so we can have a real clean, honest evaluation."
As Reinbacher continues stacking AHL games alongside defensive partner William Trudeau, the Canadiens organization remains patient with their prized prospect's development timeline, recognizing that consistent performance and defensive reliability will ultimately determine his readiness for the NHL stage.
