Player Information
Position: Defenseman
Height: 6’2” (189cm)
Weight: 85kg (187lbs)
Shoots: Right
Birthday: Oct 25, 2004 (18 years old)
Introduction
David Reinbacher is a big framed 6’2 defender who has a strong offensive game yet likes to play the body and can defend well off the rush. Reinbacher had a strong showing at the World Juniors where he registered two assists in four games. The 6’2 defenseman will play his draft year for EHC Kloten in the National league after an extremely respectful one goal and eleven points from the Austrian at only 18 years of age which helped his Kloten side secure promotion from the Swiss League to the National league. The start of the 2022-23 season for Reinbacher has been a successful one with him registering two goals and 8 assists in 18 games so far with an impressive average of 17 minutes of ice time a game. If Reinbacher can continue his development at this level his draft stock will rise exponentially however I do see someone weaknesses in his game.
Defensive play
Reinbacher owns a big body and impressive frame for his age and sometimes like to use it against the boards to try and retake possession however this isn’t as common of an occurrence as I would like to see from Reinbacher as he will sometimes shy away from the corners or come out without the puck. However, Reinbacher does like to play the body on forwards as they come down the wing as they try and go 1 on 1 with Reinbacher.
In the clip above we see the forward (#37 yellow) receive the pass and try and go around Reinbacher (#64 blue) however Reinbacher uses his defensive stick to poke the puck away from the forward then finishes the play by playing the body and stripping the puck.
Although this isn’t Reinbacher’s speciality as see his defensive game is based on his tremendous active stick where often Reinbacher will take his right hand off his stick and extend his reach to give the attacker no time to make a play as he shuts down the time and space very effectively as shown below.
On the other hand, I have noticed a negative aspect in his defensive game and that is that he often seems to ‘puck watch’ and often becomes a passenger in his own defensive zone where he ends up not marking an attacker or cutting a passing lane just watching the play develop with him taking no active stance to stop the attackers.
In the clip above we see a prime example of Reinbacher’s defensive woes as SC Bern effortlessly cycle the puck around Reinbacher as he makes little effort to engage the forwards and attempt to win the puck back.
Offensive play
Reinbacher shows extremely good offensive instincts which has led to him being given powerplay time for EHC Kloten this season. The trademark of his offensive game is his effective shot which is able to find the net through any screen and can be a real problem for netminders. Not only this but Reinbacher is extremely consistent in his placement of his shot as he either goes mid glove or mid blocker. We see Reinbacher mainly shoot from his favoured right defence shot but can play as a central point player as shown by the shot map below. Furthermore, the map shows the effectiveness of Reinbacher’s shot when on the man advantage as his shots make it to the net 66% of the time compared to only 43% when 5 on 5 which is to be expected.
Reinbacher is able to squeeze these shots just to the inside of the post which gives him a great chance to score but to also get tipped in front from the centreman as the height of the shot offers that option too. In the clip below he uses his body to shift power into his shot whilst gaining a few feet towards the net and picking up an assist as the rebound is put away. In the same game we see get space on the middle point and he uses this to put a slapshot in net which gets him his first pro goal.
Skating
In terms of skating ability, Reinbacher’s is fine as he doesn’t possess top end speed or agility but has enough to be competent. We do see Reinbacher skate forward and break the puck out himself however he normally crosses the offensive blue line and passes the puck off as he doesn’t quite have the speed to break past defenders. The clip below shows the extent of Reinbacher’s skating as he brings the puck from around the back of his own net to achieve top speed, however the defenders can easily track his movement across their blue line forcing Reinbacher to drop the puck to his winger.
Overall, Reinbacher’s skating is definitely at a good enough level for a player of his size but is certainly an area he needs to work.
Passing and puck skills
Reinbacher owns a solid and accurate pass that I have noticed has improved this year alone however at long distances the power sometimes lets him down but game on game we this improving. In the clip below we see Reinbacher execute a lovely cross ice pass on the powerplay to set up his teammate who finishes the chance.
In terms of puck skills Reinbacher has, once again, solid enough skills as we see him getting pressured which he then manages to escape past three forecheckers with poise and nice hands. However, when going coast to coast we sometimes see a lack of control with Reinbacher often knocking the puck ahead of him and not the ‘puck on a string’ type play I would like to see.
Overall, Reinbacher’s passing and puck skills is good enough for the role he plays but is improving game on game. We see his confidence to use his puck skills growing too, as he matures and grows as a player it appears his want to use his puck skills is growing turning him into a proficient two-way defender.
NHL comparable
For an NHL comparable to Reinbacher I have chosen Shea Theodore for many reasons. Firstly, Reinbacher and Theodore share similarities in height and size with Theodore coming in at 89 Kilograms and a height of 188 centimetres and Reinbacher being only 4 Kilograms less at 85Kg and a height of 189 centimetres. In terms of playstyle both Reinbacher and Theodore are shoot first defencemen with Reinbacher averaging 3 shots a game in the National League this year and Theodore with an impressive 4.3. Also, the percentage of shots making it to the net is similar with Theodore averaging a shots on goal percentage at 53% this year and Reinbacher currently at a 55% in the National league. Defensively, Theodore does perform better than Reinbacher with Theodore blocking 1.3 shots a game to Reinbacher’s 0.8 and Theodore winning 8 of his 13 puck battles this year with Reinbacher only on 5 out of 10. However, I believe this has a lot to do with the success of the teams each player plays on. For example, EHC Kloten, having been promoted from the Swiss League this year, have a goal differential of -30 (35 goals for and 65 against) whereas the Vegas Golden Knights have a +28-goal differential (86 for and 58 against). With Reinbacher playing on a team with such a poor defensive record I think the stats do slightly adjust. Overall, I think the Shea Theodore comparison could be a touch ambitious, but I do believe Reinbacher has the potential to be a top 2 pairing defenceman in the NHL like Shea Theodore.
Rankings
David Reinbacher has only featured in one draft ranking so far despite his quick accession into the public sphere. Corey Pronman of the Athletic placed Reinbacher at 9th overall which is the only rankings I’ve seen him in so far. However, the consensus around David Reinbacher will solidify himself as the #1 defenceman in this draft class although some scouts don’t have him in the first round. For me I do believe Reinbacher will is the best defenceman in this draft class currently and in five years time I believe he will still be the defenceman in this draft. However, given the number of talented forwards in the 2023 draft I can see Reinbacher dropping out of the top 10 which will be a steal for any team that picks him up.
Conclusion
David Reinbacher has had a lightning start to his 2022/23 campaign with him grasping the huge responsibilities given to him by the Kloten staff. With Reinbacher currently on 17 minutes time on ice and almost 2 minutes of powerplay a night head coach, Jeff Tomlinson, has massive faith in the Austrian and it is clear to see why.
Reinbacher has a tremendously simple yet effective offensive game with his shoot first style. His powerful and elusive shot often finds the net and is an incredible tool to generate offense with a good chance of finding the back of the net or forcing the netminder to give up a rebound. Reinbacher’s passing is improving every single game and come draft time we should a defenceman able to make pinpoint stretch passes almost every time. We have seen Reinbacher’s effectiveness on the powerplay as a single point man or in a two D role using his full toolkit to generate offense.
Defensively, Reinbacher uses excellent gap control to kill offensive of the rush and in one-on-one situations and his use of his stick is elite. He plays the body well enough and sometimes struggles in international tournaments but in league play Reinbacher isn’t afraid of using his body in puck battle situation and as he grows as a player, I expect this is a tool we will see increasingly. However, when Reinbacher is under pressure and the offensive team is set up and cycling the puck around I feel Reinbacher get lost and overwhelmed leading to him puck watching and not actively defending the play.
Overall, I see Reinbacher as the best defenceman in this class and he has the potential to break into the top 15 and be a top defenceman in the NHL, his game is well rounded, and his talent is improving game on game.
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