Canadiens Prospect David Reinbacher Scores First Goal First Shot

It didn’t take long for Montreal Canadiens prospect David Reinbacher to make his mark in the AHL.

The 2023 fifth-overall pick scored his first goal on the lone shot he took in his North American professional hockey debut with the Canadiens’ AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket.

To make matters even more interesting, the goal tied the game midway through the period, which gave the Rocket an opportunity to win a crucial game versus their rivals, the Belleville Senators. Fellow defenceman Logan Mailloux obliged, securing a win that will go a long way in keeping the Rocket’s playoff hopes alive.

The play was rather surprising, in that Reinbacher rarely ventured into open ice when he played for EHC Kloten. In addition, he dangled the Senators’ defenceman before landing his well-placed wrist shot, another type of play he never unveiled in Switzerland.

The whole sequence of Reinbacher's first AHL goal is a beauty!

Steal, dangle, snipe

TIE GAME pic.twitter.com/O2eYtSvtgr

— Scott Matla (@scottmatla) March 23, 2024

What’s Next For David Reinbacher

Of course, we can’t put too much stock into one game. If Reinbacher had an awful debut, we’d also preach for a little patience.

But it will surely provide a much-needed confidence boost for the 19-year-old defenceman.

Things have not exactly gone smoothly since Reinbacher was picked in the first round by the Montreal Canadiens. His season in the National League was a disaster from a developmental standpoint. That’s not to say he took a step back, but there was very little in terms of tangible improvements. An early-season injury complicated things, only to have that issue compounded by a carousel of coaching changes, three to be exact.

Reinbacher improved his play down the stretch, but you’d be hard-pressed to argue it was an ideal situation for a top NHL prospect.

Now that he’s arrived in Canada he will have an opportunity to familiarize himself with the team system and the cultural changes, but more importantly, he’ll have access to important mentors such as development coach Adam Nicholas.

Some have already labelled the 19-year-old as a bust, which is the hockey equivalent of suggesting a bird won’t be able to fly while it’s still in its shell.

At the very least, those who have shown a lack of patience (and sense) can finally take a step back and allow the defender an opportunity to truly shine.

The fact of the matter is that David Reinbacher’s career is just getting started in earnest.