Following his selection by the Canadiens with the fifth overall pick in the previous NHL Draft, David Reinbacher’s rookie season didn’t start off well.
The defenseman was sent back by the Canadiens to Kloten HC in the Swiss-A league for a second season. Before Reinbacher arrived, Kloten had lost six of its first nine games after he had attended his first Canadiens training camp.
After Reinbacher came, Kloten’s situation didn’t improve, as the 19-year-old defenseman sustained two injuries: a hand injury and a knee injury. With a 17-29-6 record, Kloten finished the season in 13th place in the 14-team league after going through three head coaches. Reinbacher finished 35 games with a minus-15 differential and 1-10-11 totals.
The Canadiens’ director of player development, Rob Ramage, paid Reinbacher a visit. In an attempt to convince Reinbacher to simplify his style of play, he played him a video of Shea Weber, a former defenseman with the Canadiens.
When the Canadiens hosted their development camp in Brossard last week, Ramage noted, “It was a tough season in Kloten.” He had three coaches in all. This was such a great training camp for him. His level of maturity when skating is higher than when not skating. I believe I visited there in the end of November. He had recently recovered from an injury. Both the team and he were having difficulties.
“While we were there, we had some really great conversations,” Ramage continued. “I felt like he was getting a lot of attention at that point, and I really wanted him to make that simpler,” These athletes occasionally have a tendency to overthink the game, which shows in their hands and feet. We followed through on it, and he played better in the second half. When he got to Laval, I believe he performed admirably.
After Kloten’s season ended, Reinbacher played 11 games with the Laval Rocket of the AHL, recording a plus-6 differential and a 2-3-5 total. It was the Canadiens’ preference that the Austrian stay home and complete his summer training, as he was not present at their development camp last week.
Reinbacher got to play games in Laval, and Ramage said he was “really happy.” He will most likely start for the Rockets in the upcoming season.
Ramage remarked, “That will be helpful to him when he comes to camp this year.” “Those were pivotal matches. He performed well, and we were battling for a postseason spot.”
Jean-François Houle, a former head coach at Rocket, concurs.
Houle, who departed the Rocket last month to take a head coaching position at Clarkson University, stated at the conclusion of the previous season, “The experience a young player can get off those seven or ten games, look at what it did for (Jayden) Struble last year.” “Struble had confidence, came back this year, had a good camp, started with us and played in the NHL. He was with us for seven games, six games (it was actually nine games two seasons ago).”
Reinbacher had a “really good” stick and good gap management, but Houle pointed out that the 6-foot-3, 209-pound player still needs to gain strength.
Ramage will be watching Ivan Demidov this season; the Canadiens selected him fifth overall in the NHL Draft. Ramage will at least attempt to achieve so, but it will be more challenging given that Demidov is playing the last season of his contract in Russia with the KHL’s St. Petersburg SKA club.
“The current situation with the Russians is a little different, particularly in light of global events,” Ramage remarked. But we’ll be watching him closely. The Canadiens’ co-director of amateur scouting, Nick Bobrov, has a lot of connections (in Russia). Thus, we’ll try our hardest. But the circumstances are a little more challenging.
Ramage continued, “I met him briefly in Las Vegas after the draft.” Demidov played for the St. Petersburg junior squad last season, recording 23-37-60 totals in 30 games. He was kept scoreless in four KHL games. “Compact. Looked like a self-assured young man. Extremely happy to call Montreal home.
Demidov was not present at the development camp because he is not yet in possession of a Canadian visa. However, he is excited to play for the Canadiens and isn’t concerned about the pressure that comes with being selected highly in the first round in Montreal.
“I think it’s good because fans really love hockey, and I love hockey, too,” Demidov said following his draft selection to media in Las Vegas. “Therefore, I don’t find it problematic.”
In addition, Demidov thinks he can be a game-changer for the Canadiens, who are eager to see more offensive play from their forwards after finishing 26th in the NHL in scoring and 27th on the power play the previous year.
Demidov referred to the former NBA player who passed away in a helicopter disaster four years ago as “my idol in sports.” “I aim to adopt his Mamba Mentality—his instinct killer—every season. When I scored the game-winning goal, I believe I won a lot of games (with St. Petersburg). It is my belief that I can also be a game-changer in Montreal. The Montrealers sincerely hope so.
They also anticipate that Reinbacher will mature into a reliable NHL defenseman.
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