Reinbacher suffered a knee injury in the Canadiens' preseason game vs. the Maple Leafs and is expected to be sidelined until at least early-March. This is a tough blow in a big developmental year for the 2023 No.5 overall pick. The 19-year-old blueliner appeared in 11 AHL games a season ago, scoring two goals with three assists.
Reinbacher was the fifth overall pick of the Canadiens in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft and is set to make his professional North American debut after being reassigned to the Laval Rocket (AHL). The Austrian-born Reinbacher had 11 points (1G / 10A in 35 games with Kloten HC (NL) this season.
The Canadiens drafted Reinbacher No.5 overall in this summer's NHL draft, making him the first defenseman off the board. The 18-year-old had 22 points (3G / 19A) in 46 games with Kloten HC of the National League (Switzerland). He also represented Austria in the 2022 and 2023 World Juniors, posting four assists in nine combined games.
