The Montreal Canadiens have officially announced that defenseman David Reinbacher underwent surgery to his left knee on Tuesday morning. The organization noted that his rehabilitation period is expected to be from 5 to 6 months. Obviously, this is devastating news for the Canadiens and Reinbacher.
Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli tweeted, “Awaiting decision now – surgery or not for Patrik Laine.”
Canadiens president Jeff Gorton mentioned on a recent podcast that it might take a few days to have an update on either player. However, the Habs released a statement on Reinbacher in less than 24 hours.
Reinbacher, who turns 20 this month, was selected fifth overall in the 2023 draft. He spent the 2023-24 season with Switzerland’s EHC Kloten, where he’s seen some inconsistent results. He recorded one goal and 10 assists with a -15 rating in 35 games, down from 22 points and a +7 rating in 46 games the previous season.
However, Reinbacher played when he made his way to AHL Laval, tallying five points and a +6 rating in 11 games. The Canadiens were hoping this would be a strong developmental season for him. It’s not a given that he was to be slated for the opening night roster, but the belief was he might play a few NHL games.
Wishing him the best in his recovery. It’s a significant setback for his development, but hopefully, he can get back on track and continue his career trajectory despite multiple injuries. At the very least, he’ll be out until March and then need some time in the AHL to get back up to speed.
PuckPedia notes: “As a player on a 2-way deal with no NHL days last season and injured before the season starts, Reinbacher carries $0 Cap Hit for #GoHabsGo while injured. He will get paid his pro-rated NHL salary while injured.”
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