David Reinbacher enters this season with the kind of opportunity that can change the direction of a young defenseman’s career.
For Montreal, the fifth-overall pick from the 2023 NHL Entry Draft has become one of the organization’s most watched prospects, and not just because of where he was selected. The Canadiens passed on Matvei Michkov, Ryan Leonard, and Zachary Benson to take a right-shot defenseman they believed could fill a need on the blue line. That kind of pick always comes with extra weight, and in Montreal it carries even more because the last time the team drafted for need over best player available was Jesperi Kotkaniemi.
Reinbacher’s path since then has been anything but smooth. Injuries have interrupted his development at almost every turn, and that has made the evaluation more complicated than the player himself.
Defencemen usually take longer to come along than forwards, but in this case the biggest obstacle has been health, not ability. The question hanging over him now is whether the repeated setbacks are just bad luck or something that could keep following him at the NHL level.
His first taste of pro hockey in North America came late in 2023-24, when he joined the Laval Rocket after his season in Switzerland ended. He slid into the lineup without much trouble.
The expectation after that was straightforward enough: spend 2024-25 in Laval, then maybe earn a late-season look with Montreal. Instead, a preseason knee injury changed everything.
Reinbacher needed surgery on his left knee and missed the first five months of the season.
When he finally got back, the season steadied. Another preseason issue had earlier cost him time when he broke a bone in his hand, sidelining him for a month, but after that he stayed on the ice and played 57 games.
He finished with five goals and 19 assists, and his work earned him a call-up in April after Noah Dobson was injured. That brief NHL look gave Montreal a better sense of where he stands, even if the sample was still tiny.
What the Canadiens need from Reinbacher is clear. He was never drafted to be the flashy puck mover or the kind of defenseman who drives offense the way Lane Hutson does.
Montreal already has Hutson as its offensive force on the back end. Reinbacher is supposed to be the stabilizing piece beside him, the reliable all-around partner.
At least, that was the vision. Right now, it is still more projection than reality.
That is why this camp matters so much. Montreal’s right side on defense is unsettled enough that Reinbacher has a real opening.
Alexandre Carrier arrived in 2024 looking like a steal, but after an uneven season he may not have a lock on his place. Jayden Struble has not taken a major step forward since breaking into the lineup in 2023-24.
And Arber Xhekaj remains the biggest question mark, with no contract extension in place.
If those situations stay unresolved, Reinbacher has a path to grab a roster spot. He has only two NHL games to his name, but the Canadiens have spent a premium pick on him, and the pressure that comes with that doesn’t fade. For a player drafted first among defensemen in his class, this may be the moment to prove he belongs.
In Other News...
Canadiens Rebuild Suddenly Has Room For Something Much Bigger
The Canadiens have spent the last stretch of their rebuild doing the hard part well: locking up young talent without boxing themselves into a corner. Montreals recent contract work has given management a cleaner salary-cap picture, and the result is a roster that should be easier to keep together while still leaving room to improve it. For a team still trying to turn promise into something more durable, that matters just as much as the standings.
What makes the setup interesting is that the Canadiens are not simply planning to ride out the next few seasons with a decent young core and hope for internal growth. The structure they have put in place gives them a chance to stay flexible if the right trade or free-agent opportunity comes along, while still maintaining the long-term approach they have preached throughout the rebuild. In other words, Montreal may finally have built enough stability to chase something bigger when the time is right. [Read more 🡒]
Owen Beck Has A Real Chance To Force Montreals Hand
Owen Beck has spent the past two seasons in that familiar prospect holding pattern, bouncing between limited NHL looks and steady work with the Laval Rocket. For the Canadiens, the 22-year-old center remains one of those players whose value goes beyond the box score, especially because the organization still views center depth as a spot worth sorting out carefully.
Becks case is interesting because he has already shown enough at both levels to keep himself in the conversation, even if the offensive breakthrough at the NHL level has not arrived yet. With Montreal still weighing how much room there is for him moving forward, the next step is less about whether he belongs in the picture and more about whether he can keep forcing the club to make a harder decision on him. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Trade Pressure Is Rising As Kent Hughes Eyes One Key Need
As training camp approaches, Kent Hughes is still trying to shore up the Canadiens forward group, and the search appears to be centered on adding another piece who can lift Montreals top half of the lineup. Arpon Basu of The Athletic reported that the general manager remains actively interested in landing a top-six forward before the season begins, with the club continuing to sift through trade possibilities rather than settling for a quick fix.
The most obvious need is down the middle, where Montreal has been exploring ways to add more support to its scoring group. Hughes has not closed the door on other options either, but the market has not broken in the Canadiens favor yet, and no deal is done as the calendar turns toward opening night. For a team trying to keep building around its core, the next move still feels like it could shape how the entire forward group looks once the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]