In the quiet hum of Place Bell, where the crowds are smaller and the spotlight less blinding, a silent revolution is taking shape. David Reinbacher, the towering Austrian defenseman, glides across the ice with a purpose that seems to defy the ordinary rhythms of an AHL season. His jersey—still crisp, still unfamiliar to many outside Laval—flashes beneath the arena lights, a subtle signal that something extraordinary is beginning to unfold. The photo, snapped by USA Today Sports, captures Reinbacher mid-stride: focused, unassuming, and yet on the verge of rewriting expectations.

For months, the name David Reinbacher hovered in the background of Montreal Canadiens conversations—a prospect with promise, yes, but also with questions. Injuries had cast shadows over his early career: a knee surgery that sidelined him for half a year, a fractured hand that stole another month just as this season began. Each setback threatened to dull the shine of a fifth overall pick, the kind of investment that can shape a franchise’s future. Yet, as the games ticked by in Laval, something quietly remarkable started to happen.

Without fanfare or flourish, Reinbacher began to rack up points, his stat line growing almost unnoticed until Marc-Olivier Beaudoin sounded the alarm on social media. Nine points in twelve games—a pace that would make even seasoned veterans take note. “Without realizing it, David Reinbacher has just notched his 9th point of the season in his 12th game, and he’s been playing the best hockey of his career since arriving on North American soil,” Beaudoin observed. The numbers, cool and precise, told a story of resurgence: 0.77 points per game for a 21-year-old defenseman fresh off a long rehab, already outpacing his European production.

But beneath those numbers lies a deeper narrative—a young man reclaiming the promise that once made him the centerpiece of Montreal’s draft strategy. At 6-foot-3 and 207 pounds, Reinbacher was always built for impact, his frame a blueprint for the modern NHL blueliner. His three-year entry-level contract, worth over $6 million, signaled the Canadiens’ faith in his potential—even as he battled through adversity without a single NHL appearance to his name. Now, every shift in Laval feels like a quiet audition, each point a subtle reminder that Montreal’s gamble may be paying off.

The whispers have started, as they always do when a prospect begins to shine. Trade rumors swirl, with Reinbacher’s name linked to blockbuster deals and long-running sagas like Noah Dobson’s. For Kent Hughes and the Canadiens’ front office, the temptation to cash in early must be immense. But as Reinbacher continues to defy expectations, the calculus changes: maybe this is the player who can anchor Montreal’s defense for years to come, who can transform potential into presence.

What happens next is anyone’s guess. Will Reinbacher’s health finally hold? Will his offensive surge translate to the NHL? For now, fans and insiders alike watch with bated breath, sensing that the quiet surge in Laval is only the beginning of a much larger story—a story that could redefine the future of the Montreal Canadiens, and perhaps, the fate of David Reinbacher himself.

Canadiens prospect David Reinbacher

Photo credit: USA Today Sports

Without making much noise, David Reinbacher has already reached 9 points in 12 games in Laval.

It was Marc-Olivier Beaudoin who raised quite a few eyebrows by pointing out on X the current streak of the young Austrian. According to him, Reinbacher is currently playing his best hockey since arriving on North American ice, and the numbers back him up.

“Without realizing it, David Reinbacher has just notched his 9th point of the season in his 12th game, and he’s been playing the best hockey of his career since arriving on North American soil a few weeks ago.

He’ll obviously need to stay healthy, and it’s too early to declare victory, but it’s very encouraging!”

– Marc-Olivier Cook

Adding it all together, that gives a pace of 0.77 points per game for a 21-year-old defenseman who is just coming out of a long rehabilitation period. Last season, he finished with 5 points in 10 regular-season games with the Rocket, then 6 points in 13 playoff games in the AHL.

David Reinbacher is finally taking the place everyone expected

Let’s remember that David Reinbacher, the 5th overall pick in the 2023 draft, has long been viewed as a major piece of the future for the Montreal Canadiens. At 6-foot-3 and about 207 pounds, he has the perfect frame to play big on both sides of the ice.

His three-season entry-level contract, worth a total of about 6.35 million dollars, pays him an average of a little over $2.1 million per year until 2025-2026. For a player who has still not played a single NHL game, that’s a significant investment by the club-and this offensive breakout is reassuring a lot of people in Montreal.

We also can’t forget where he’s coming from. Last year, a knee injury suffered at Canadiens training camp required surgery and was expected to keep him out for five to six months. This season, he faced another serious warning sign with a fracture in his right hand during preseason games, which made him miss about a month of action.

When you look at the full track record, you see that at 21 years old, Reinbacher already had a 22-point season in 46 games with Kloten in Switzerland, even before crossing the Atlantic.

With his 9 points in only 12 outings this year in Laval, he now shows an offensive pace higher than what he produced on the larger European ice.

No surprise that David Reinbacher’s name keeps coming up in trade rumors, even if Kent Hughes has so far resisted the temptation to include him in a blockbuster deal-especially in the long-running Noah Dobson saga.

If this progression continues and his health finally holds, the young defenseman could force the organization’s hand sooner than expected.