At this training camp, there’s a lot of talk about the team’s young defensemen. Lane Hutson and Logan Mailloux, who are in the thick of the race for an NHL roster spot, are among those attracting attention.
They’re not alone, but they’re the ones we’re keeping a close eye on.
That’s why a guy like David Reinbacher, drafted fifth in 2023, flies under the radar, even though he’s theoretically fighting for a position. We expect to see him in Laval, but that doesn’t mean it’s set in stone.
And tonight, while answering fan questions on Reddit, Eric Engels brought up an interesting piece of information related to the Austrian:
Management will clearly want to see Lane Hutson, Logan Mailloux and David Reinbacher get some quality NHL experience this season. – Eric Engels
What’s interesting in all this is that the journalist puts Reinbacher in the same category as Mailloux and Hutson, two guys we see as logical options to start the year in Montreal. And yet, Reinbacher isn’t usually placed in that group.
What makes a little more sense to me, though, is a scenario in which Reinbacher comes to play in the NHL after spending a few months in Laval. A scenario in which a spot opens up following a transaction that sends David Savard elsewhere at the deadline if the Habs are no longer in the running, for example.
Reinbacher, one of the team’s brightest prospects, probably still needs a little time to get used to North American ice. In my opinion, letting him marinate in Laval for a while so that he can fine-tune his development and arrive in the NHL ready to play makes the most sense.
In response to another question, Engels noted that he doesn’t see the Habs being willing to pay to trade a veteran (like Christian Dvorak, for example) to make room for a youngster (like Oliver Kapanen, for example).
But if the youngsters force the CH’s hand, there are always ways to compromise, Joel Armia’s word in October 2023.
