Prospect Info: David Reinbacher

[Koivu11]

Clearly a lot of the fans that are mad that the Habs picked Reinbacher over Michkov.
Having watched him play a few games, he is NOT the next Ovechkin. He is a highly talented parameter player in the same mold as Marner.

In that case it could turn out to be like if the Leafs selected Hanifin over Marner in 2015.

 

[Kennerback]

I read HF for nuanced posts like this one

It’s not just Josh Gorges. Those players are definitely out there for sure. In fact, I’m building a team of all-time character role models:

All "CH"aracter Team

F- John Scott Josh Bailey Terry Ryan
Kyle Chipchura (Assistant) Dominic Moore Tom Kostopoulos
D- Rory Fitzpatrick Josh Gorges (Captain)
G- Jack Campbell

 

[Catanddogguitarrr]

Clearly a lot of the fans that are mad that the Habs picked Reinbacher over Michkov.
Having watched him play a few games, he is NOT the next Ovechkin. He is a highly talented parameter player in the same mold as Marner.

Marner have nhl stats, Michkov have none. It would be good for Michkov to be 90% of Marner.
Marner goes (sometimes) in nhl corners, he plays vs opposition bigger guys than him.

 

[BargainBinSpecial]

Hopefully this guy becomes a Chris Pronger, Chelios, MacInnis or Leetch, and we will all be happy.

 

[danyhabsfan]

I think most fans were frustrated that we didn't pick Michkov.

Nothing against Reinbacher in particular. (minus some idiots)

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

This is a bit of an oxymoron. Who decides what the "consensus narrative" is, if not the person who holds power and responds to it as such?

The consensus narrative isn't subjective when it is the only narrative dominating the conversation.

 

[ZUKI]

Yeah, Reinbacher is a bit of a unique case. I'm not sure he goes 5th overall if Kloten doesn't get promoted. He could have completely destroyed the SL but the NL is obviously a far better league.

Obviously, an NL team could have bought him out of his contract if Kloten didn't get promoted but firstly that would have been unlikely to happen and secondly, he probably wouldn't have gotten the same opportunities elsewhere in the NL.

So you can definitely say that Reinbacher was lucky and in the right spot at the right time. Having said that, he earned everything he got and he was good enough to make the best out of his opportunities. He averaged 7 (!) minutes more in the NL compared to the year before in the SL. He doubled his ice time over the summer if you compare SL playoffs and the first NL games. Heck, even his now 36yo defense partner averaged several (I think it ended up being around 3:30) more in the NL. Reinbacher even managed to make the team vet better.

Kloten Coach Tomlinson is a smart man. He knew right away what he had in Reinbacher. His team is one of few in Switzerland's NL that doesn't have seemengly unlimited money to throw at players. So when they got promoted, he just went full yolo mode and relied heavily on Reinbacher pretty much from game 1 and never looked back. The rest is history. Reinbacher/Kellenberger played the toughest minutes and were still the lone plus players on the team. They, and the strong PP, were the reasons why Kloten avoided Playouts and made it into pre Playoffs.

So yeah, it's possible Reinbacher was lucky and is more of an under the radar pick if Kloten doesn't get promoted but firstly that doesn't make him a worse prospect and secondly, you gotta be good enough to capitalize on such a chance and Reinbacher was.

Regarding Switzerland, sadly you're right. The problem is that coaching is very poor. There's very few good Swiss born coaches and clubs have to hire foreigners. That, and the wealthy clubs not caring about prospect development, leads to rather poor junior leagues. To make the jump from juniors to NL is very tough and not all NL teams have a farm team or affiliation deals with SL clubs. In fact, EV Zug, the most successful club in Swiss hockey the last few years, withdrew their academy team which produced lots of prospects for them and other NL teams from the SL ahead of last season. So at the end of the day, Swiss junior leagues are too weak to still play there in your draft season but the jump to the NL proves to be too difficult for most kids especially since, when in doubt, they won't even get a chance. As a kid, you usually only get to play if you prove to be better than any vet the team has and could potentially sign. SL is a good option but those spots are limited as well and even though it should be, it's not a traditional development league so if your team doesn't have an affilitation it can be tough to get a fair chance there as well. Also, coaching isn't very good either. So sadly, I agree Switzerland isn't usually a great place for prospect development. Even the Swiss top prospects mostly leave the country at some point. It can still work out even for foreigners though but it's not a model that would work for everyone and having a Swiss playing licence (as you mentioned Reinbacher has) helps. A few recent prospects have played in Switzerland...even foreigners like Auston Matthews, Elvis Merzlikins, Brennan Othmann or Mason McTavish but you have to be in the right spot at the right time for this to work.

Thanks to share this great story/analyze with us. Again, it sounds soo much likes when the Habs picked Romanov. We were all astonished that he was picked as soon, but after 2-3 days we already start to see he was a good selection. I hope Reinbo is going to continu to develop and progress properly . We have seen few promising players that weren't able to do so as Brook and Norlinder

 

[Gandalf The Habs Fan]

I have no problem drafting Reinbacher over Leonard or any other forward in a world Michkov does not exist....

But he is our pick now so I wish him the best and hopefully, he will be as good as Pietrangelo. Im just a little bit sad that we might have passed on a ppg exciting superstar, something we did not have since I dont know when. (except Kovalev)

 

[ZUKI]

It's just that they're the most vocal.

From what I've seen so far looking at some of Reinbacher's play, I'm a fan already. We'll see if it translated to the NHL, but his acceleration and his edge work is superb.

link ?

 

[Nedved]

Talking about Josh Gorges. This team should strive to find 23 players like him. Team first, liked in the dressing room, character, leadership, captain in Kelowna, sacrificed his body, others before himself…. We’d be unstoppable in character and culture.

Can anyone confirm Gorges was, in fact, captain for Kelowna?

It’s not just Josh Gorges. Those players are definitely out there for sure. In fact, I’m building a team of all-time character role models:

All "CH"aracter Team

F- John Scott Josh Bailey Terry Ryan
Kyle Chipchura (Assistant) Dominic Moore Tom Kostopoulos
D- Rory Fitzpatrick Josh Gorges (Captain)
G- Jack Campbell

f***ing kostopoulos. the man who lost every fight, a total beat down. My man!

 

[ZUKI]

Try Josh Gorges if you want an idea of his game at the NHL level: a player with no definable standout skill whom coaches love and allow to eat up minutes.

Good lord. This is Slafkovsky all over again.

Finally ! someone that knows his hockey

Oh ! sorry , wrong quote

 

[danyhabsfan]

Can anyone confirm Gorges was, in fact, captain for Kelowna?



f***ing kostopoulos. the man who lost every fight, a total beat down. My man!

Classic

Some people dont have the reference

 

[ZUKI]

I have no problem drafting Reinbacher over Leonard or any other forward in a world Michkov does not exist....

But he is our pick now so I wish him the best and hopefully, he will be as good as Pietrangelo. Im just a little bit sad that we might have passed on a ppg exciting superstar, something we did not have since I dont know when. (except Kovalev)

I don't know if someone could confirm because i am not absolutely sure if it was a comment about Michkov, but i have read something about his team that wasn't a good one, something that gave him a lot more minutes of ice compared to the average/normal low minutes young players get in this league.

Of course, it's clear that the kid is very good, but his points stats were inflated by his ice time

 

[Captain97]

Guys our future D-core is should be

Hutson - Reimbacher
Guhle - Barron/Mailloux
Xhekaj - Barron/Mailloux

They can all skate and 5/6 are 6'2+ and the one that isn't may end up being our best Dman or our best offensive dman.

Even if som of these guys bust we have others in the system with top 4 potential one the left and some play both sides. This is a great place to be I'm terms of building a team.

 

[InAG-P]

Guys our future D-core is should be

Hutson - Reimbacher
Guhle - Barron/Mailloux
Xhekaj - Barron/Mailloux

They can all skate and 5/6 are 6'2+ and the one that isn't may end up being our best Dman or our best offensive dman.

Even if som of these guys bust we have others in the system with top 4 potential one the left and some play both sides. This is a great place to be I'm terms of building a team.

Our D is in such good shape man, David really solidified it. Add depth pieces like Harris, Engstrom, Trudeau. This D core will be solid for YEARS to come

 

[tooji]

I feel like playing in a stronger league causes people to underrate his offensive side a lot. I think he would be dominant against junior players. Looking forward to seeing his progression.

 

[Tyson]

The kid is going to be a star...I am convinced.

 

[Captain97]

I feel like playing in a stronger league causes people to underrate his offensive side a lot. I think he would be dominant against junior players. Looking forward to seeing his progression.

Agreed, it isn't common for draft aged players to play I'm the top Swiss league. And he was on their top pairing + was either 1st or 2nd for scoring from dmen on the team.

 

[River Meadow]

Guys our future D-core is should be

Hutson - Reimbacher
Guhle - Barron/Mailloux
Xhekaj - Barron/Mailloux

They can all skate and 5/6 are 6'2+ and the one that isn't may end up being our best Dman or our best offensive dman.

Even if som of these guys bust we have others in the system with top 4 potential one the left and some play both sides. This is a great place to be I'm terms of building a team.

Very true, and it had to be done.....

Look at how players like Montour were so instrumental to their teams success.. even more so than the forwards.

 

[jj cale]

I'm over the Michkov thing now, there are far worse things you can do then make moves that will bolster your backend, you add this kid to what we are building back there and we might just have the rock solid foundation needed to win in todays game.

I think in a few years we will all come around to this pick.

 

[River Meadow]

Cute.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Talking about Josh Gorges. This team should strive to find 23 players like him. Team first, liked in the dressing room, character, leadership, captain in Kelowna, sacrificed his body, others before himself…. We’d be unstoppable in character and culture.

We need proof

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Can anyone confirm Gorges was, in fact, captain for Kelowna?

Ah zut. I thought I'd be the first one to ask

 

[River Meadow]

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

I have no problem drafting Reinbacher over Leonard or any other forward in a world Michkov does not exist....

But he is our pick now so I wish him the best and hopefully, he will be as good as Pietrangelo. Im just a little bit sad that we might have passed on a ppg exciting superstar, something we did not have since I dont know when. (except Kovalev)

An 80 pt player is not a superstar.