David Reinbacher’s Search for a Roster Spot Continues
Written by Ryan McAvoy
MONTRÉAL – Following the end of the Montréal Canadiens’ preseason camp, the organization announced that defenseman David Reinbacher would not have a spot on the Canadiens’ roster to start the 2026-27 season. Instead, he will return to Montréal’s AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket. Despite a tough few years, there is still a chance that Reinbacher earns a roster spot during the upcoming season.
Drafted by Montréal on June 8, 2023, as the fifth overall pick, Reinbacher’s time with the team has not been easy. After being selected, he played in Switzerland with EHC Kloten before moving to the Laval Rocket during the 2023-24 season.
He suffered a major setback when he sustained a left knee injury and was expected to be out five to six months. He returned in February 2025, but during a September preseason game with the Canadiens, he broke a metacarpal, causing him to miss four weeks.
It was not until April 2026 that Reinbacher made his NHL debut. He played in two games and recorded one assist and one point.
His first stint in the league lit a fire in Reinbacher, and he showed up to Canadiens camp this year ready to earn his spot on Montréal’s roster.
“At the end of camp, I want to earn a spot with the team. That’s my goal. We’ll see if I can do it,” said Reinbacher during an interview with NHL.com. “I want now to show that I’m ready for the NHL, not just for two games, but for a whole season.”
Unfortunately for the 21-year-old, camp did not go the way he hoped, but all is not lost.
Reinbacher played in three preseason games with Montréal, in which the team went 2-1-0. Between all three games, he had 1 assist and 1 point, similar to his stat line back in April.
In August, NHL.com identified Reinbacher as a strong candidate for a call-up, giving him another reason to stay focused and continue competing in the AHL.
Last season, he played in 57 games and garnered 24 points. Reinbacher had an impressive 8-game run when Laval’s starting defenseman, Adam Engstrom, was injured in February.
After taking over the starting position, Reinbacher scored 1 goal and had 5 assists to record 6 points for Laval.
With Engstrom brought up by the Canadiens, Reinbacher will most likely be part of the first defensive pairing on the Rocket. This will give him considerably more minutes on the ice and a bigger opportunity to demonstrate why he should soon be on Montréal’s roster.
It might not be a quick road, but Reinbacher is still young and has a lot of potential to grow in his position and gain experience.
While this was not the outcome Reinbacher had hoped for, he can now turn his full attention to the Laval Rocket. Their regular season begins at home on Friday, October 2, where they will host the Syracuse Crunch.
The Montréal Canadiens are certain to follow his season and watch Reinbacher display his talent in the AHL.
