The Canadiens have sent David Reinbacher and Owen Beck back to the Laval Rocket, a move that reshuffles the picture for both young players and points toward a possible return for Mike Matheson.
Reinbacher’s stint with Montreal was brief. The No. 5 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft appeared in just one game after his recall from Laval, skating 9:09 and finishing minus-1 in Saturday night’s 4-3 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres at the Bell Centre. He did not dress for Tuesday night’s 4-3 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks, with Adam Engstrom taking his place as a healthy scratch.
“They’re here … we want them to get reps," Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis said before Tuesday night's game about making Reinbacher a healthy scratch.
"Rhino played a good game (against Buffalo). Has nothing to do with play.
We just want to keep these guys moving.”
Engstrom has clearly climbed ahead of Reinbacher on the Canadiens’ blue-line depth chart. The 2022 third-round pick, 92nd overall, has played five games for Montreal this season, posting a plus-2 rating while still searching for his first point. He’s averaging 11:24 of ice time per game.
Reinbacher’s return to Laval likely signals that Matheson is nearing a comeback. The veteran defenseman has missed the last four games with a lower-body injury.
Montreal had Wednesday off before getting back to work Thursday morning at the CN Sports Complex in Brossard. From there, the team heads to Chicago to open a four-game road swing Friday against the Blackhawks at 8 p.m. on TSN2 and RDS.
That stretch continues in Winnipeg for Sunday’s outdoor Heritage Classic game at 7 p.m. on SN and TVA Sports, followed by visits to the St. Louis Blues next Tuesday at 8 p.m. on TSN2 and RDS, and the Dallas Stars next Thursday at 8 p.m. on TSN2 and RDS.
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