Canadiens 5th Overall Pick David Reinbacher’s Fluid Contract

The newest member of the Montreal Canadiens is the talented defenceman David Reinbacher.

And while it’s unusual for defencemen to jump directly into the NHL, as it stands, it’s a possibility.

Reinbacher recently signed a one-year extension with Kloten HC in the NLA, however, the Swiss League does not prevent players from heading to the NHL if the opportunity arises.

And that gives the Canadiens plenty of options.

The Canadiens could convince Reinbacher he has a legitimate shot at earning a job on the blue line, and if he proves he can handle the pace of the NHL there’s a chance he will feature in their defensive core next season.

Logically, the Canadiens won’t want to rush their new star prospect, which means he’d be best suited to play in the AHL if they want him to stay in North America, much like the New Jersey Devils did with Simon Nemec last season.

Players drafted in the first round out of Europe are not held to the archaic CHL-NHL agreement, which means Reinbacher can skip that useless development step.

Stay The Course

Given that Reinbacher has already spent two seasons with Kloten, and has developed quite well during that time, you’d be hard-pressed to argue staying in Europe would be a mistake.

Contract extension aside, staying in Europe means Reinbacher will have an opportunity to graduate from his business program, which is reportedly a high priority for the 18-year-old defenceman. Hockey aside, that’s never a bad sign from a young man, it shows a significant amount of maturity.

It also takes some of the pressure off the young man, which is never a bad choice in a market like Montreal.

The Canadiens have plenty of options, but for now, familiarity and consistency seem to be the best route forward for Reinbacher.