D David Reinbacher - EHC Kloten, NL (2023, 5th, MTL)

[Kcoyote3]

That seems more like a prediction than an opinion.

It's both. I think he's the best defenseman in the draft from a complete standpoint and those type of dudes both should be ranked top 10 and I think a team will take him there as well. I think Simashev and Molendyk have some high defensive ceilings but are lacking offensive creation, manipulation and creativity. I think Dragicevic has insanely smart passing ability, stretch passing, breakouts, etc, but is lacking some mobility and defensive game to make him a complete prospect. I think Cagnoni is well-rounded and a heads-up distributor but doesn't always activate using his feet when he should. His defensive game is better than Drag's, but lack of size is a concern. I think ASP is sound at retrievals in the corner, pushing play up ice but I don't see super elite vision in the offensive zone. His game is built on him being a really, really good skater, but unsure of his overall impact as of now given his size and lack of elite creativity. Overall this draft is a little weak on elite defensemen, everyone seems to have some warts, Reinbacher's are just a lot less glaring.

For me it goes something like this for their ranks:

Reinbacher- Top 10
ASP- Top 15
Simashev- Top 20
Gulyayev- Top 25
Cagnoni - Top 25-30
Molendyk - Top 32
Dragicevic - Top 40

 

[DatDude44]

It's both. I think he's the best defenseman in the draft from a complete standpoint and those type of dudes both should be ranked top 10 and I think a team will take him there as well. I think Simashev and Molendyk have some high defensive ceilings but are lacking offensive creation, manipulation and creativity. I think Dragicevic has insanely smart passing ability, stretch passing, breakouts, etc, but is lacking some mobility and defensive game to make him a complete prospect. I think Cagnoni is well-rounded and a heads-up distributor but doesn't always activate using his feet when he should. His defensive game is better than Drag's, but lack of size is a concern. I think ASP is sound at retrievals in the corner, pushing play up ice but I don't see super elite vision in the offensive zone. His game is built on him being a really, really good skater, but unsure of his overall impact as of now given his size and lack of elite creativity. Overall this draft is a little weak on elite defensemen, everyone seems to have some warts, Reinbacher's are just a lot less glaring.

For me it goes something like this for their ranks:

Reinbacher- Top 10
ASP- Top 15
Simashev- Top 20
Gulyayev- Top 25
Cagnoni - Top 25-30
Molendyk - Top 32
Dragicevic - Top 40

U actually watch Molendyk? Because if u did, you’d completely flip your thoughts on him

 

[Kcoyote3]

U actually watch Molendyk? Because if u did, you’d completely flip your thoughts on him

Many, many times. He's a really good skater, an aggressive defender, and he can hit breakout passes, but there's a reason his production is low given his actual tools. He doesn't display a great offensive mind right now. For a comparable, Mario Ferraro. Always in motion, aggressive defense, decent speed and passing ability, but the huge production isn't there.

 

[Juxtaposer]

Anytime I see some draft list mention that Reinbacher has “defensive issues” I just have to roll my eyes. The only explanation is that they see his size and production and that other lists don’t have him ranked higher and assume that he must have defensive issues to justify being so low. If he keeps progressing as he has, he’ll be a top-10 defensive defenseman in the league.

 

[MichaelFarrell]

Anytime I see some draft list mention that Reinbacher has “defensive issues” I just have to roll my eyes. The only explanation is that they see his size and production and that other lists don’t have him ranked higher and assume that he must have defensive issues to justify being so low. If he keeps progressing as he has, he’ll be a top-10 defensive defenseman in the league.

I agree. His only defensive issues stem from being 18 years old in a great professional league. If he was playing junior hockey, it wouldn’t be looked at as an issue.

 

[MS]

Anytime I see some draft list mention that Reinbacher has “defensive issues” I just have to roll my eyes. The only explanation is that they see his size and production and that other lists don’t have him ranked higher and assume that he must have defensive issues to justify being so low. If he keeps progressing as he has, he’ll be a top-10 defensive defenseman in the league.

I agree. His only defensive issues stem from being 18 years old in a great professional league. If he was playing junior hockey, it wouldn’t be looked at as an issue.

Yeah - any player who is trusted by a coach to play top-4 minutes in a top Euro league in their draft year is ahead of their peers defensively.

If you take a good player and put him in junior against kids he'll look like a defensive beast relative to the competition, but that same player will look 'suspect defensively' in a men's league relative to 30 year old guys with NHL experience. You have to take into account the situation and level of competition.

 

[Hinterland]

Yeah - any player who is trusted by a coach to play top-4 minutes in a top Euro league in their draft year is ahead of their peers defensively.

If you take a good player and put him in junior against kids he'll look like a defensive beast relative to the competition, but that same player will look 'suspect defensively' in a men's league relative to 30 year old guys with NHL experience. You have to take into account the situation and level of competition.

Exactly. Reinbacher is averaging 18:43. Among Kloten defenders, only import Ekestahl-Jonsson is playing more. In a league where teams are allowed to dress 20 skaters (usually 8 defensemen) almost 19mins of ice time is a lot. Also, the NL, unlike other European top leagues like SHL or Liiga, isn't a development league. For most teams, money isn't much of a factor when making roster decisions so as a teenager, you just simply don't get to play unless you're clearly and consistently better than what your team is already icing and could potentially acquire.There's very few others teenagers playing regularly in the NL and none of them have a role even close from Reinbacher's. Not even the Swiss kids.

 

[Nabrules]

Reminds me a fair bit a Slavin.

 

[LuckyBoeser]

 

[strattonius]

Hoping the Canucks get him with the 6th or 7th pick. I think Reinbacher will keep rising in the draft and might even get selected 5th by a team prioritizing defense if Benson is the other choice at forward.

 

[95snipes]

I watched two of his Swiss games and that's all I'll see before World Championships. So my conviction on Reinbacher is going to be much lower than most other prospects that I'll see at least 5 if not 10+ times. In those games, I found he got beat wide a lot. Is this a concern for anyone else? The smaller ice might help that. I can see the appeal, but his skating is a bit of a hangup for me. It's a bit awkward. I don't think it prevents him from playing in the NHL, but I'm not sure if I'm sprinting to the podium to select Reinbacher as the 1st defenseman off the board. If I could be convinced his skating will be fine then I see the top 10 appeal.

If he looks good at World Championships that could completely change my opinion.

 

[Raistlin]

Hoping the Canucks get him with the 6th or 7th pick. I think Reinbacher will keep rising in the draft and might even get selected 5th by a team prioritizing defense if Benson is the other choice at forward.

The way the Canucks are trending, he's likely to be selected 7-9.

 

[Garl]

It's okay we can get Dmitri Simashev

Simashev has no offensive upside. His ceiling is Roberto Bortuzzo or Niklas Grossmann

 

[LeonTheKing]

Simashev has no offensive upside. His ceiling is Roberto Bortuzzo or Niklas Grossmann

Tell me you only watch stats without actually telling me you only watch stats.

If Simashev is from Sweden or Finland, he would be compared to Edvinsson.

 

[Garl]

Tell me you only watch stats without actually telling me you only watch stats.

If Simashev is from Sweden or Finland, he would be compared to Edvinsson.

Dont tell me it is that damned russophobia again!

 

[Garl]

But on the other hand, Bortuzzo and Grossmann are much better defenders, Simashev has a lot to learn
Compared to Edvinsson LOL

 

[Boonk]

I watched two of his Swiss games and that's all I'll see before World Championships. So my conviction on Reinbacher is going to be much lower than most other prospects that I'll see at least 5 if not 10+ times. In those games, I found he got beat wide a lot. Is this a concern for anyone else? The smaller ice might help that. I can see the appeal, but his skating is a bit of a hangup for me. It's a bit awkward. I don't think it prevents him from playing in the NHL, but I'm not sure if I'm sprinting to the podium to select Reinbacher as the 1st defenseman off the board. If I could be convinced his skating will be fine then I see the top 10 appeal.

If he looks good at World Championships that could completely change my opinion.

Can’t teach that size, the fact he’s RD, and the way he plays offence and defense. The skating will come with growth and conditioning and becoming accustomed to NA ice. Stuff him in the AHL next season.

 

[Hinterland]

I watched two of his Swiss games and that's all I'll see before World Championships. So my conviction on Reinbacher is going to be much lower than most other prospects that I'll see at least 5 if not 10+ times. In those games, I found he got beat wide a lot. Is this a concern for anyone else? The smaller ice might help that. I can see the appeal, but his skating is a bit of a hangup for me. It's a bit awkward. I don't think it prevents him from playing in the NHL, but I'm not sure if I'm sprinting to the podium to select Reinbacher as the 1st defenseman off the board. If I could be convinced his skating will be fine then I see the top 10 appeal.

If he looks good at World Championships that could completely change my opinion.

For a big guy his skating is way above average.
Also note that he's currently playing on European ice where skating is much more important than in the NHL because there's just much more space. If you can't skate it's next to impossible to log lots of minutes in Europe's top leagues which is why most of the North Americans accepting offers out of Europe are the smaller fast skaters who aren't big and gritty enough to play NHL.

 

[95snipes]

Can’t teach that size, the fact he’s RD, and the way he plays offence and defense. The skating will come with growth and conditioning and becoming accustomed to NA ice. Stuff him in the AHL next season.

I think you're right, I don't see anything that's not fixable, but I don't think he's a naturally great skater. I could be oh so wrong, but there's nothing about his game I love. I don't see him as a power play qb type number one defenseman. He's big, but I question if his skating is good enough to be the Slavvin shutdown type number one defenseman. I do like his hockey sense, but see someone who's a complimentary top pairing or someone you more want leading a second pairing. A #2/#3 defenseman. That's good, but if that's your projection, I'm personally not taking that top 10 given the forward options this year.

Again I haven't seen him a ton, but that's my read. Hope to see more at World Championships.

For a big guy his skating is way above average.
Also note that he's currently playing on European ice where skating is much more important than in the NHL because there's just much more space. If you can't skate it's next to impossible to log minutes in Europe's top leagues which is why most of the North Americans accepting offers out of Europe are the smaller fast skaters who aren't big and gritty enough to play NHL.

I guess that's relative. I'm not saying he's a bad skater, I just found it to be a bit awkward and came across as the biggest weakness in his profile. Fairly straight legged and his lateral skating was not as good as I was hoping to be. I liked his hockey sense, first pass, and his ability to get shots through traffic from the point was excellent.

I don't want to speak too negatively about him because enough people love him that it's more likely the consensus is right than I'm right.

 

[Hinterland]

I think you're right, I don't see anything that's not fixable, but I don't think he's a naturally great skater. I could be oh so wrong, but there's nothing about his game I love. I don't see him as a power play qb type number one defenseman. He's big, but I question if his skating is good enough to be the Slavvin shutdown type number one defenseman. I do like his hockey sense, but see someone who's a complimentary top pairing or someone you more want leading a second pairing. A #2/#3 defenseman. That's good, but if that's your projection, I'm personally not taking that top 10 given the forward options this year.

Again I haven't seen him a ton, but that's my read. Hope to see more at World Championships.

I guess that's relative. I'm not saying he's a bad skater, I just found it to be a bit awkward and came across as the biggest weakness in his profile. Fairly straight legged and his lateral skating was not as good as I was hoping to be. I liked his hockey sense, first pass, and his ability to get shots through traffic from the point was excellent.

I don't want to speak too negatively about him because enough people love him that it's more likely the consensus is right than I'm right.

You can't say that about everything because the NHL obviously is the best league of this world but if you're an above average skater in one of Europe's top leagues, you're in the NHL as well. Sure, Reinbacher doesn't skate like prime Erik Karlsson but I'm not sure he has to. He has other strengths.

 

[LeonTheKing]

Dont tell me it is that damned russophobia again!

I'm the last person to like Russia, they invaded my country in 1968. Simashev isn't defensive defenseman like Grossman or Bortuzzo, just watch him play and don't be a lazy stats watcher, please.

His skating and puck handling skills are great for his frames, very similar style to Edvinsson in his draft year. Sure Edvinsson was better prospect, but my point stands - if Simashev was not russian, people wouldn't sleep on him so much.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

I watched two of his Swiss games and that's all I'll see before World Championships. So my conviction on Reinbacher is going to be much lower than most other prospects that I'll see at least 5 if not 10+ times. In those games, I found he got beat wide a lot. Is this a concern for anyone else? The smaller ice might help that. I can see the appeal, but his skating is a bit of a hangup for me. It's a bit awkward. I don't think it prevents him from playing in the NHL, but I'm not sure if I'm sprinting to the podium to select Reinbacher as the 1st defenseman off the board. If I could be convinced his skating will be fine then I see the top 10 appeal.

If he looks good at World Championships that could completely change my opinion.

This is the first gripe I've heard about his skating. I caught a couple of his games at the WJC and it's far better than most prospects eligible for this year's draft. Easily top 10 of the players rated in the first round for this draft. Even when I saw his NL games I thought he displayed all around excellent 4-way skating. It's definitely not Brandt Clarke's bo-legged skating style.

 

[Garl]

I'm the last person to like Russia, they invaded my country in 1968. Simashev isn't defensive defenseman like Grossman or Bortuzzo, just watch him play and don't be a lazy stats watcher, please.

His skating and puck handling skills are great for his frames, very similar style to Edvinsson in his draft year. Sure Edvinsson was better prospect, but my point stands - if Simashev was not russian, people wouldn't sleep on him so much.

He has skating I will give you that, but he doesn't have puck skills and offensive instincts to be a 1st rounder. Somebody can select him there of course. He is also kinda awkward

He has more offensive tools than Grossmann but I am not comparing their playing style, rather the impact that he can have if he reaches his ceiling.

Nikita Zadorov is another comparsion, but Simashev is not as physical from what I saw

 

[LeonTheKing]

He has skating I will give you that, but he doesn't have puck skills and offensive instincts to be a 1st rounder. Somebody can select him there of course. He is also kinda awkward

He has more offensive tools than Grossmann but I am not comparing their playing style, rather the impact that he can have if he reaches his ceiling.

Nikita Zadorov is another comparsion, but Simashev is not as physical from what I saw

You really just compared this to Grossmann and Bortuzzo?

If Simashev fall from 1st round, it's because of his nationality status and lack of international showings, not his skillset.

 

[Wats]

Sneaky rise to top 5?