David Reinbacher out for five to six months | “He would have had ice cream”

The first training session of the Rocket camp had barely started when we learned that Pascal Vincent had – already – a first problem to resolve.

As the 29 healthy players took to the ice, the Canadian announced that defenseman David Reinbacher had surgery on his left knee Tuesday morning and would need five to six months of rehabilitation.

The subject came up in Brandon Gignac’s press briefing after the session. The veteran striker obviously caught wind of the news when the question was raised.

“I’m definitely going to write to him. I had the same injury in my first professional year, I will try to help him,” Gignac replied immediately.

It’s December 2017, a month after his 20^e birthday, that Gignac was injured. He was then a Devils prospect. The Repentignois missed the rest of the season, but returned to action the following season and was even recalled for the first time in his career.

To this day, his speed on blades remains his main asset. So he got over it, but it wasn’t easy.

“It’s tough on morale. While everyone else is training and improving, you are at a standstill, he explained. Between 18 and 22, 23 years old, these are the best years to develop. You lose six months, it’s difficult. But it’s about staying positive and working in the gym. For me, my strength was in the lower body and my arms were not that developed. I took the opportunity to work on my upper body and when I got to camp, I had good tests. I’ll tell him to keep working. »

Minutes to give

Reinbacher was injured in Saturday’s game, in the fourth second of the match, on a seemingly trivial contact with Quebecer Marshall Rifai of the Maple Leafs.

The defender’s first full season in North America, drafted 5^e rank in 2023, is therefore already in the water. Last spring, he left a favorable impression during his brief visit to Laval at the end of his season in Switzerland; in 11 games, he had scored 5 points and had a differential of +6.

In an organization rather poor in right-handed defenders, Reinbacher was promised a busy season. “It’s tough for Rhino, it’s tough for us,” conceded Pascal Vincent, new head coach of the Rocket. It was a big year for him. We will try to support him, keep his mind sharp and continue to teach him. »

Vincent did not want to specify which “chair” awaited the Austrian, but “he would have had ice cream, he would have played and we would have pushed him.

“It doesn’t help him, but in the long run I don’t think it’s going to hurt him either. If he has a good summer next year, I think he will be OK. It’s certain that it will delay his development, but the player he must become in three, four, five years… I think we can still achieve him. »

In the meantime, it will be interesting to see how Vincent distributes minutes on the right side. Of the ten defensemen on the ice Tuesday, only two are right-handed: Joshua Jacobs and Simon Motew. The first is a veteran of the American League, but who did not play in 2023-2024; the second arrives from the junior ranks and is simply on trial, without a contract.

From the Canadian camp, Logan Mailloux is the only right-hander likely to be demoted. Because he must go through waivers before returning to Laval, Justin Barron is in some way protected by his status.

Left-handers from the Rocket will obviously have the chance to assert themselves on the opposite flank. Éric Gélinas, present by invitation, therefore has one more card to show to obtain a contract, because he says he is more comfortable on the right. It is mainly on this side that the 33-year-old veteran played during his last two seasons, in Switzerland.

William Trudeau, for his part, has less experience on this side. He played “a lot” at the midget AAA level, but very little in junior and during his two seasons in Laval.

“I think I can do it. It will be to see the decision of the coaches. If the position is open, I will want to try it,” he says.