DAVID REINBACHER

Defense
6’2/187
Right
EHC Kloten/NL

David Reinbacher is a mobile, 6-foot-2 right-shot, Austrian defender who can contribute at both ends. Reinbacher’s gap control is strong, killing a lot of plays due to his feet and reach even if he’s not overly physical. He has experience playing in all situations against men and having plenty of success on both sides of the puck. Reinbacher is a very rare first-time draft eligible to play top-four minutes in an excellent pro league in Switzerland, where he has produced half a point per game. Last season, in 27 games with EHC Kloten, he had 11 points and also played in 14 playoff games. In the 2022-23 season, Reinbacher scored 19 points in 36 games with Kloten in the NL; then at the U20 World Juniors, he was a standout performer for Austria, putting up 2 points in 5 games. Reinbacher projects as a middle-pairing defender who lacks an elite standout skill but whose modern style and his well-rounded game will make him one of the first defensemen from this class to see NHL action.

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Size/Strength Good
Skating Good
Shot/Scoring Good
Puckhandling Average
Physical Play Average
Offensive Play Good
Defensive Play Great
Hockey Sense Great
Competitiveness Good

Strengths

1. mobile, 6-foot-2 right-shot defenseman who can contribute at both ends, and has experience playing against men in all situations.
2. Reinbacher’s gap control is strong, killing a lot of plays due to his size, mobility, and reach.
3. Poised and well-rounded defender who processes the game at a high level.

Areas of Improvement

1. lacks physical strength and overcommits on stick checks when defending speedy wingers on the rush.
2. lacks an elite standout skill.
3. Isn’t overly physical.

Scouting Report

David Reinbacher is a very intelligent two-way defenseman with good tools. He layers deception into his movements and diffuses pressure very well in single-variable situations.
He scans very well both with and without the puck and is one of the quicker processors among the class defenders. He is also a competent powerplay quarterback in a good pro league,
not due to any elite skill but rather his calculated and effective puck movement, his excellent shot selection, and his deception. Defensively, he lacks physical strength and overcommits on stick checks when defending speedy wingers on the rush, but he sticks to his assignment well and is effective at forcing play away from the slot during extended in-zone possessions. Reinbacher is a mature and well-rounded defender who processes the game at a high level. At 6’2/187, he is a mobile right-shot defenseman who can contribute at both ends; his gap control is strong, killing a lot of plays due to his feet and reach even if he’s not overly physical. The young Austrian can defend the rush fairly well, using his long stick and frame to close out along the boards, but the consistency isn’t there quite enough. The NHL Comparison for David Reinbacher is Ryan McDonagh, who is a very solid NHL defenseman but is nothing special. Reinbacher projects as a middle-pairing defender who lacks an elite standout skill but whose modern style and the well-rounded game will make him one of the first defensemen from this class to see NHL action. He is definitely more substance than flash but projects as a reliable top 4 NHL defenseman, who could be a potential 1st round pick.