David Reinbacher’s tough luck against the Maple Leafs continues. The promising Canadiens defense prospect broke his hand in last night’s preseason game against Toronto, sidelining him for about four weeks.
It’s a frustrating setback for the 2023 fifth overall pick, who can’t seem to catch a break in games against the Leafs. Just last year, he suffered a nasty knee injury against Toronto that kept him out for more than half the season.
That knee problem pushed his AHL debut with Laval all the way to February, crushing any hopes of seeing NHL ice in his rookie year.
While this hand injury isn’t as serious, it’s still a big blow to Reinbacher’s chances of cracking the Canadiens’ opening night roster. He was already facing stiff competition from Alexandre Carrier and Noah Dobson on the right side, plus Lane Hutson’s been looking good playing his off-side with Kaiden Guhle.
The young defenseman has shown real promise in his limited AHL time. In 21 games over two seasons, he’s put up 10 points (4 goals, 6 assists) and posted an impressive +11 rating. He even added 6 points during last year’s Calder Cup Playoffs.
The timing couldn’t be worse for Montreal’s defensive depth. They’re incredibly thin on right-shot defensemen, with only Carrier, Dobson, and career minor-leaguer Nathan Clurman available.
Reinbacher will start the season on IR with no cap hit since he didn’t play any NHL games last year. Once he’s healthy, he’ll likely head back to Laval – unless the Canadiens have an unexpected roster spot open up in late October.
