Prospect Info: David Reinbacher

[The Great Weal]

This fanbase is f***ing bananas. I've said it before and I'll say it again, it's probably best for the mental health of the younger players here that they don't use Twitter or Instagram. It's a lot easier said than done to just "ignore it" when you receive thousands of messages saying that you suck as if it's your fault.

He's gonna be a great fit with Hutson.

 

[BenchBrawl]

I'm coming around on the pick, but I still insist people, including management, underestimate the need for MAGICAL PLAYERS in the Montreal zeitgeist.

A player that exist beyond the normal parameters, that transcend the usual hockey spacetime continuum.

The need for myths and legends, for a Dieu du stade, for a "savior" or "magician" archetype.

They can't all be robots, all cogs in the machine.

Adults forget this, but children understand it. And because they do, hockey lives on for another generation if you provide it. Ignore it for too long, and hockey dies after a few generations, replaced by something that holds that magic.

 

[River Meadow]

 

[Bombshell11]

Ah, no just a guy tweeting a picture of Reinbacher next to Hitler and saying he’s the worse person since Hitler. Very normal thing to tweet. Or people on twitter saying he sucks since yesterday?

So? people are expressing themselfs... freespeech. Would you rather silence them all and live in a eco chamber? If this is how some of the fans feel thats how they feel. Habs PR team sucks big balls... they had Carey unprepared and embarass himself.

The habs org led by Molson are completly trash

Its not David Reinbacher fault and i do not support the targeted attacks at him, this is all on Molson/RBC.

They're taking us for granted and we're not happy about it...

 

[River Meadow]

This fanbase is f***ing bananas. I've said it before and I'll say it again, it's probably best for the mental health of the younger players here that they don't use Twitter or Instagram. It's a lot easier said than done to just "ignore it" when you receive thousands of messages saying that you suck as if it's your fault.

He's gonna be a great fit with Hutson.

I'll go even further...

It's probably best for EVERYONE'S mental health that they don't use Twitter/IG/etc.

 

[Archijerej]

I don’t think it’s a dumb argument at all. It happens to be true. The dumbest thing in this thread is our gm who used a top 5 pick on dman who he thinks ceiling is a 2D and not capable of running a pp. I agree with him, so why take him at 5?

My guess is because if you feel you're getting a defenseman that anchors your 1st pairing, drives the transition, leads your club in ice time and is your top PKer, you don't really care if he fits a textbook definition of a #1D and isn't the best option to run your #1PP. Especially if you already have Hutson and Mailloux in your system.

I don't think Chara, Parayko, McAvoy, Slaven or Pesce not being first choices for the highly specialized role of #1PP quarterback made them significantly less valuable for their respective teams.

 

[River Meadow]

I'm coming around on the pick, but I still insist people, including management, underestimate the need for MAGICAL PLAYERS in the Montreal zeitgeist.

A player that exist beyond the normal parameters, that transcend the usual hockey spacetime continuum.

The need for myths and legends, for a Dieu du stade, for a "savior" or "magician" archetype.

They can't all be robots, all cogs in the machine.

Adults forget this, but children understand it. And because they do, hockey lives on for another generation if you provide it. Ignore it for too long, and hockey dies after a few generations, replaced by something that holds that magic.

Good.

Now we can root for Reinbacher to plaster Michkova in the boards in 5 or 8 years or whenever Michkov is allowed to come over.

 

[BenchBrawl]

Good.

Now we can root for Reinbacher to plaster Michkova in the boards in 5 or 8 years or whenever Michkov is allowed to come over.

Not yet. Still no MAGICAL player on the team, with only Caufield with a small chance to become one.

Points and goals aren't enough. Magic is something else.

That's why the Cammalleri's and Pacioretty's of this world never replaced Kovalev.

Kovalev was magical, but didn't stay long enough.

 

[River Meadow]

Not yet. Still no MAGICAL player on the team, with only Caufield with a small chance to become one.

Points and goals aren't enough. Magic is something else.

That's why the Cammalleri's and Pacioretty's of this world never replaced Kovalev.

Kovalev was magical, but didn't stay long enough.

Let's wait and see if Michkova even comes over... that's number one.

That's minimum 3 years, and potentially more.

Remember the goal is to win the cup as a team.

Reinbacher might ultimately be more valuable in that regard if he becomes a beast Dman logging 25-30+ mins a night, is lights out defensively and works on his offensive game.

 

[ReHabs]

My guess is because if you feel you're getting a defenseman that anchors your 1st pairing, drives the transition, leads your club in ice time and is your top PKer, you don't really care if he fits a textbook definition of a #1D and isn't the best option to run your #1PP. Especially if you already have Hutson and Mailloux in your system.

I don't think Chara, Parayko, McAvoy, Slaven or Pesce not being first choices for the highly specialized role of #1PP quarterback made them significantly less valuable for their respective teams.

This seems correct but it’s still discouraging to think about how the team didn’t take a swing on a player with the potential to be a future “best player in our organization” (Michkov) over a player they believe is a “D-2”.

2Ds move around and can be acquired, superstar forwards don’t.

If there were personality concerns with Michkov, I would respond first by questioning the character and vibe of our organization that fears it cannot get a single teenager to buy-in.

If there were hockey concerns with Michkov, I don’t trust this organization’s intuition with amateur scouting well enough to trust this criticism specifically.

But it’s obvious they would stick with their conviction, they are the smartest guys in the room after all.

Reinbacher isn’t an off the board pick but how he slots into our strategic needs has a lot to do with his ceiling. If he is viewed as a Jeff Petry rather than a Ryan Suter the difference between them is big enough to matter.

 

[BaseballCoach]

This seems correct but it’s still discouraging to think about how the team didn’t take a swing on a player with the potential to be a future “best player in our organization” (Michkov) over a player they believe is a “D-2”.

2Ds move around and can be acquired, superstar forwards don’t.

If there were personality concerns with Michkov, I would respond first by questioning the character and vibe of our organization that fears it cannot get a single teenager to buy-in.

If there were hockey concerns with Michkov, I don’t trust this organization’s intuition with amateur scouting well enough to trust this criticism specifically.

But it’s obvious they would stick with their conviction, they are the smartest guys in the room after all.

Reinbacher isn’t an off the board pick but how he slots into our strategic needs has a lot to do with his ceiling. If he is viewed as a Jeff Petry rather than a Ryan Suter the difference between them is big enough to matter.

There are some legit concerns about Michkov hitting the potential many write about, and the Habs are not the only team to harbour them.

Pros:

Creative​

Fancy​

Magical​

Shot​

cons:

Size/weight​

Speed​

commitment to KHL over NHL​

position = winger​

Question marks (not sure either way):

attitude/entitlement​

drive to improve​

geopolitical climate affecting his timing to come to NHL​

 

[ReHabs]

There are some legit concerns about Michkov hitting the potential many write about, and the Habs are not the only team to harbour them.

Pros:

Creative​

Fancy​

Magical​

Shot​

cons:

Size/weight​

Speed​

commitment to KHL over NHL​

position = winger​

Question marks (not sure either way):

attitude/entitlement​

drive to improve​

geopolitical climate affecting his timing to come to NHL​

Overall: he was the fifth best prospect of the draft and our strategic needs as an organization needed his upside.

The only team other than us who skipped on him was Arizona and they’re a mess in every way. They came dressed in identical suits.

If Reinbacher is a future 1D then it makes a lot more sense even if he isn’t a future Norris winner. If Reinbacher is a future 2D, as Hughes plainly states, then it’s right to question the organization’s commitment to take us to the next level.

 

[Dach Vader]

We got a really strong prospect in Reinbacher.

The data say's he's a lock to play in the NHL & has a very good chance of becoming an All-Star.

It does make sense for us.
We have Caufield 22, Suzuki 23, Dach 22, Newhook 22, Slafkovsky 19 to work with. I don't know about Newhook but I'm big believer in Slaf & Dach. Suzuki's a 1st line player & Caufield is probably going to be a star.

Getting a steady RHD, possibly the best of the draft could pay off huge. Could be our Hedman, Hamilton, Pietrangelo one day.
If he's breaking up plays, eating hard minutes & keeping the puck out of our net at 5v5. I'll be good with that.

Matheson - Savard
Guhle - Reinbacher
Harris/Xhekaj - Kovacevic/Barron
Hutson/Struble/Engstrom - Mailloux/Konyushkov

That's a fun group with a lot of potential.

 

[River Meadow]

He says Reinbacher's aggressiveness and physicality is gonna be his main calling card...... very interesting.

 

[ReHabs]

There’s no point of him going back to the NLA is there? He should be in Laval right?

 

[26Mats]

Playing him as a 19 year old in the AHL like Nemec and Jiricek is rushing him??

No, but if he's in Europe the temptation will be less.

 

[Weltschmerz]

There’s no point of him going back to the NLA is there? He should be in Laval right?

Didn't he already say he wants to finish school and will stay for 1 more year?

 

[BenchBrawl]

Can he do a tight, small radius spin-o-rama?

Arguably the greatest indication of skating abilities.

Orr, Harvey, Savard, they all did it with a small radius in the circle. Subban, to a lesser extent.

To this day very few did it as smoothly as Harvey and Orr, and that's ignoring that they did it with old time skates. Proves their body and musculoskeletal posture were tailor-made for hockey, a gift from the gods, and above any "edge" nutrition, modern training and the likes, can give the modern players.

 

[DinosaurBones]

I cant understand the hate for this kid. It all but sets up our D for many many years.
Hutson - Reinbacker
Ghule - Mailloux
Xhekaj - Harris
Engstrom - Barron

Plus Matheson and Kovy who can be a part of the team for a while. PLUS future picks. It literally sets us up.

So the one thing were lacking is the top tier offensive guy. But everyone says Caufield is easily gonna score 50... Suzy had no line mates and put up 60+. Dach broke out this year but it feels like the breakout before the breakout, so much more potential. Slaf is one year removed of 1st overall and barely got to play. Newhook's play screams offense.
Farrell/Roy/Beck/Mesar

None of these players have hit there ceiling yet, or even close to it. I would agree in saying we need one more elite piece up front. But we have so many pieces that can allow us to do that at the right time.

Our D just got SET. And people sending the kid threats cause we didnt take the russian. Who isnt coming for 3 years. Wild...

 

[FrankMTL]

I was hoping for an elite scorer as well, but I trust that they chose the best player they thought was available. Now, we have to hope that our young forward players/prospects can continue to develop and who knows, maybe next year we get a shot at Celebrini or Eiserman

 

[Archijerej]

This seems correct but it’s still discouraging to think about how the team didn’t take a swing on a player with the potential to be a future “best player in our organization” (Michkov) over a player they believe is a “D-2”.

I have no beef with people plainly stating Michkov is going to be a more impactful player than Reinbacher and that the difference is going to be significant enough to thwart any possible risk factors involved in the selection. It may well turn out to be the case and fair play to them for calling the management out.

What I don't understand is that many people seem to have missed the Reinbacher story as it unfolded throughout the year. For months now it has been clear that he's regarded as a top D prospect and that someone is going to select him very high, just like they did with Seider and Sanderson. But for some reason the reaction is as if we were debating Nikita Kucherov vs. Nate Schmidt, instead of, say, Tarasenko vs. McAvoy.

2Ds move around and can be acquired, superstar forwards don’t.

For me, this is mostly semantics. My guess is they see him as a potential #1D, just one that likely will not be your first choice to run your #1PP.

A text book definition of a #1D is a useful template, but how many actual #1 NHL defensemen fit this definition? My guess is probably only some unicorns like Hedman. How many of those who do run top powerplays and log top minutes really have the defensive and physical dimension of Parayko, Seider, Slaven etc?

So, if we modify the definition slightly based on the above, I don't think those kind of defensemen move around more often than impact forwards.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

I was Dark Offspring on there. Beating the drum of how Gauthier and Bergevin sucked while everyone was trying to defend them

re: Reinbacher I really feel the offensive tools and IQ are lacking for him to be a Stanley Cup contending #1. He could be a 2 or a 3 for sure, but I also think his floor is lower than you do. Darnell Nurse, who had almost the same draft profile (rather eerily) when the Oilers got him, is absolutely horrible. Ok, maybe not horrible, but mediocre at best. I don't think that'll happen to Reinbacher because he's smarter defensively, but there's always a chance someone's floor is lower than you think.

Conversely, I don't think his ceiling is Hedman, Pietrangelo, Josi, Pronger, or any of the other crazy stuff people are saying.

I'm just really tired of the organizational philosophy of this team being KaRaKteR and defense over talent. It's exhausting. Listen to Bobrov today. in between his mealy-mouthed analogies and metaphors, it was a Karakter Splooge-fest.

I'd want, just once, for us to not be allergic to talent and not "score by committee." That would be lovely.

I totally remember that name! I don't remember everyone defending them though. I certainly did though. lol. I felt like it was me and 3 other posters.
I was an eternal optimist. Still am in a way. I usually just don't let my more negative thoughts about the org be known too much on boards. I try and keep it fun for myself. And I don't take the Habs as seriously as most others do.

Now you could say that's a bad bias to have in my judgement of Reinbacher BUT like I said I wanted him well before he was drafted. One of the more vocal advocates.

Well it depends. Was NYR McDonagh a true #1? Now my player comparable are horrible and I didn't follow him that much when he was our prospect but I'd venture to say that Reinbacher might have better offensive tools than McDo but not quite as good defensively. I think they might be similar-ish. Not high end offence but solid enough with great D.

I heard Hedman-lite. People were talking about his point totals being comparable to Josi. I haven't heard Pronger. But yeah these are huge names and I don't think Reinbacher has that kind of potential. I don't think we're talking perennial Norris candidate here. But with such strong D prospects around him he could be the best of the bunch.

I can always be wrong. I just think a LOT has to go wrong for his floor to not be very high. He does way too many things right at such a young age against grown men. To produce how he did and to be as physical as he was and smart with the puck and so disruptive in the D zone and as mobile and and and. That's a high floor D all day long.

I'd have to go see Nurse's pre-draft highlights. Reinbacher's offensive IQ is damn good he's just not uber creative. I personally don't think you have to be a puck wizard to be a #1. He's a great passer. Great stretch passes. So efficient in transition. I just think these type of D men are so projectable.

If I'm horribly off about him. You'll be the first to know lol. I'll take my licks. I'm confident in my opinions but I'm not too married to them anymore. If I'm wrong I'm wrong. It's fine.

I just think all in all people want him to be flashier and people should just admit that lol. That's fine and if I was a betting man on whether he'd be a #2 or a #1, #2 would probably be the safer bet. I'm not saying he's a lock as a #1 but I believe the upside is there.

 

[Dach Vader]

 

[salbutera]

Martin Lapointe said that they want Reinbacher with Laval next Fall.

Excerpt from The Athletic:

The general reaction from Canadiens fans on the David Reinbacher pick at No. 5 is honestly shocking. The overall outrage is at a level I don’t think I’ve ever seen, and that’s saying something.

On the one hand, it demonstrates the passion of the fan base, which is something the Canadiens should never take for granted and should always nurture. Half the NHL would do anything to have a fan base as engaged as this one, that cares as much as this one. And that is totally a positive.

But it can definitely be heavy as well.

Some members of the Canadiens have definitely been watching it since Wednesday night, and it’s opened some eyes.

But that heaviness is now weighing into some important decisions.

Reinbacher said he is open to whatever the Canadiens want him to do next season, whether that is returning to Kloten in Switzerland, playing in the NHL or playing in the AHL. One member of the front office I spoke with saw no reason to bring him over right away, that Reinbacher would be playing a big role for Kloten next season in a strong league and his development would be well-served there.

But I also heard that there is some concern among Canadiens brass about bringing Reinbacher to Montreal or Laval right away in light of the torches and pitchforks running through the fan base right now, and that exposing him to that immediately might do more harm than good.

I personally don’t believe that should be a consideration here, but it’s telling that it is something being discussed, or even thought about among the Canadiens decision-makers.

This front office led by Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes has had a relatively smooth ride up until now. This is their first brush with the flip side of the passion of the fan base, the accountability and scrutiny that comes with it. I was told Thursday that Pierre-Luc Dubois mentioned this in weighing his decision between following his heart to Montreal or following his head to Los Angeles, and another front office source took that a step further.

“We’re trying to make Montreal a place players want to play,” he said, “and this stuff definitely doesn’t help.”

 

[salbutera]