The Montreal Canadiens selected Austrian defenseman David Reinbacher with the 5th overall selection in the 2023 NHL Draft on Wednesday.
Habs general manager Kent Hughes said five or six teams called him about acquiring the No. 5 pick, but his scouts advised him to hang onto it so they could land Reinbacher, according to The Athletic's Arpon Basu.
David Reinbacher
Position: Defense
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 185 lbs
Shoots: Right
Age: 18
Club: Kloten (Swiss National League)
Nationality: 🇦🇹
NHL Central Scouting final ranking: 5th among European skaters
2022-23 stats
| GP | G | A | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kloten | 46 | 3 | 19 |
| World juniors | 5 | 0 | 2 |
| World Championship | 4 | 0 | 1 |
Although the 2023 NHL Draft is more known for its rich forward talent, Reinbacher is considered by many to be the top defenseman in the class. Reinbacher isn't flashy offensively, but he's a steady, mobile, two-way defender with good size. He projects to be a top-four blue-liner in the NHL one day.
Despite his perceived lack of offensive talent, Reinbacher still posted stellar stats while playing in Switzerland's top professional league as a teenager. In fact, it was the most productive campaign by a defenseman in a draft year in NLA history and the second-most productive among all skaters behind only Auston Matthews.
What They're Saying
"Reinbacher is an excellent all-around defenseman," wrote The Athletic's Corey Pronman, who ranked Reinbacher as his No. 6 player. "His mobility stands out immediately, especially as a 6-foot-2 right-shot defender. Reinbacher's gap control is quite strong; he kills a lot of plays due to his feet. He can close on guys with his body, too, and shows a high compete level to win back pucks. He's very polished defensively for such a young player and projects to shut down good NHL forwards."
"The top defenseman in the draft has all the hallmark traits of a top-four blueliner. At 6-foot-2, 185, he has an easily projectable frame," wrote FloHockey's Chris Peters, who had Reinbacher No. 10 on his board. "Reinbacher is a right-shot with high-end mobility and smart puck-moving skills. He doesn't dazzle you with skill, but he makes effective plays and can defend at a reasonably high level. In a year that is short on defensemen at the top of this draft, Reinbacher appears to have the highest upside."
Click here to watch Reinbacher's highlights.
