According to a Swiss publication report, it will be either the NHL or a return to the Swiss National League for defenseman David Reinbacher. “If he makes it to the NHL right away, we’re very happy for him. And if not, we’re enormously happy to have him in Kloten for another year,” Larry Mitchell, the team manager of EHC Kloten, stated (from ‘Montreal Canadiens and EHC Kloten have come to an agreement regarding Reinbacher’, Swiss Hockey News, 7/27/23). Reinbacher signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Montreal Canadiens earlier this month and has spent the last two seasons with EHC Kloten of the Swiss National League.
Related: Canadiens 2023 NHL Draft Pick: David Reinbacher
The statement implies that should Reinbacher survive the Canadiens training camp as one of the final few who survive the cuts, he’ll remain in North America to play for the Habs. Should he come up short, he will not play for the Laval Rocket of the American Hockey League (AHL) or a team in the Canadian Hockey League. He was the first defenseman taken in the 2023 Draft, fifth overall, and many expect him to be one of the future stars on the back end for the Canadiens.
Looking at the makeup of Montreal’s current roster, where they are heading for the 2023-24 season, and the sheer amount of bodies already taking up a spot on the roster, this may not be the year for Reinbacher. If the AHL is out of the question, returning to Switzerland is the best option for the 18-year-old. In fact, it’s likely the best route for him to take.
Reinbacher Needs Another Year in Switzerland
Reinbacher elevated his stock while playing for EHC Kloten during the 2022-23 season, graduating full-time to the big league in Switzerland after two seasons with their U20 club. His 22 points in 46 games immediately jump out as a jaw-dropping stat line, especially when considering Roman Josi put up just eight points in 35 games in the same league during his draft year. Playing against men, Reinbacher displayed a unique blend of strong defensive prowess with a flashy, playmaking style, turning him into a high-caliber, two-way defenseman.
Should Reinbacher return to Switzerland, he’ll play his second complete season as EHC Kloten’s youngest defenseman and face off against higher-quality opponents. With the Canadiens not expected to contend in the 2023-24 season, it makes the most sense to allow Reinbacher to play in a market where his confidence can grow and not face the intimidating Montreal media. He’ll have plenty of opportunity in all situations and get a shot to evolve his game even further in hopes of passing the qualifying round, something the team failed to do last season.
Canadiens Already Have Logjam on Defense
To the surprise of no one, the Canadiens have too many defensemen signed for the 2023-24 season. In total, eight blueliners have contracts for at least another year and will compete for the six spots available this season. Michael Matheson heads a defensive core that mixes the veteran leadership of David Savard and Chris Wideman with youngsters Justin Barron, Jordan Harris, Kaiden Guhle, and Arber Xhekaj. He’s the only one with three years remaining on his current contract, while the remainder of the core has one or two seasons left.
There’s no doubt that Reinbacher will one day lead the Canadiens’ defense as a top-pairing guy who quarterbacks the power play, but this may not be the year to pull the trigger. Unless he impresses Montreal’s brass beyond expectations and forces them to make some moves to make room, there isn’t enough bench space to include him on the roster. One year from now, there will be plenty of opportunity on the right side for Reinbacher to make a case with the departure of Chris Wideman, who becomes an unrestricted free agent.
Unfortunately, this means another year of pain for Canadiens fans, but a necessary step in their rebuild to a brighter future. Kept away from a lost season in Montreal while allowing him to put up big numbers in Switzerland will go a long way in his development. By the time he becomes a regular, the team could have other notable prospects like Lane Hutson, Logan Mailloux, and Mattias Norlinder challenging for a job, making for one of the best Canadiens defense corps in the last quarter century.