Scouting Report on David Reinbacher and Vinzenz Rohrer of the Montreal Canadiens
From August 29 to September 1, 2024, twelve countries will compete in a qualifying tournament for the upcoming Winter Olympics. The teams are divided into three groups of four, and the winner of each group will qualify for February 2026. Among the participating countries is Austria, which includes two Montreal Canadiens prospects: David Reinbacher and Vinzenz Rohrer.
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Two Hard-Fought Victories for Austria
To prepare for next week’s tournament, Austria faced Slovenia in two exhibition games that I had the chance to watch. So I wanted to briefly share the performances of the two Montreal Canadiens prospects.
First, Austria won both with a score of 2-1. The games were quite competitive for summer pre-season international matches, so it’s a good thing that the two young Canadiens players participated. It’s not NHL caliber, obviously, but it’s better than playing against cones in an empty arena.
David Reinbacher Lives Up to the Challenge
David Reinbacher was used as a top 4 defensemen on his team, recording the highest total ice time among the team’s defensemen. Without playing shorthanded, the right-handed player was used on the first power-play unit. The 2023 fifth overall pick attempted 11 shots on goal, hitting the target 9 times, and blocked two shots. The Austrian also registered one goal and one assist with a +2 differential.
In both games, David Reinbacher was the best defenseman on the team. His main strength was evident—his ability to effectively move the play forward from his own zone. It always seems easy for the prospect to restart the play based on what’s in front of him.
Safely, David Reinbacher is able to identify short or long passing lanes to catch the opponent off guard. He can do this just as well with or without pressure, as the defenseman exhibits good habits in gathering information around him before retrieving or receiving the puck.
When possible, we also saw the prospect take matters into his own hands by carrying the puck from end to end. Personally, this is something I want to see from David Reinbacher in North America. He needs to get involved in the attack and gain confidence in these situations. I believe he has the potential to do so, and we saw it clearly in these two games.
David Reinbacher’s Involvement in the Attack
The prospect supported the attack a few times to create odd-man rushes, allowing him to score his goal after a rush. The Montreal Canadiens organization desperately need a right-handed player of this type, and I sincerely hope that this will translate in the coming years.
As I mentioned earlier, the defenseman took 11 shots on goal in two games, hitting the target in over 80% of his attempts. If we compare this to last year in the AHL, David Reinbacher attempted 21 shots in 11 games, hitting the goalie 8 times (38%). During his 35 games in the NL (Switzerland), he took 144 shots, with 59 hitting the target (40%).
It’s only two games, but the young player showed a bit more »jump » from the point to attack shooting lanes. Whether it’s positioning himself as a passing option for a teammate or advancing towards the goalie to shoot by himself, the Canadiens prospect showed a lot of offensive initiative. I’d like to see a bit more power in his shots and more use of the slap shot, but overall, it’s a very positive situation in my eyes.
Defensively speaking, aside from a few times when he was out of position near the net, David Reinbacher was effective in neutralizing enemy attacks along the boards. His pinches were well-timed in the neutral zone, and there wasn’t much that could beat him or cut inside on zone entries. In short, he was as usual.
A small note to finish: According to Eliteprospect, David Reinbacher is listed at 6 feet 2 inches and 194 lbs. On the AHL website, it’s 6 feet 3 inches and 209 lbs. Based on what I saw in the two games, I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that he’s now 6 feet 4 inches. He seems more imposing than before.
Vinzenz Rohrer as a Depth Element
You could never say that Vinzenz Rohrer drags his feet. He’s a true warrior. He was in Canadian juniors during his draft year, with Zurich in the NL this year, and also in the two games observed with Austria. He’s a prospect I’ve appreciated for some time, even though I doubt his chances of playing a role in the NHL.
When a hockey player stands out for the energy he brings on the ice but is small, you can’t say that the odds are in his favor. Vinzenz Rohrer falls squarely into this category of players. He’s a responsible and aggressive player who leads by example, accepting whatever role he’s given. However, although fans would love him, he will have a hard time playing that role in professional North American hockey.
In the two games, he recorded one goal and 8 shots on goal (out of 10 attempts). With an average ice time of just over 13 minutes, one might think he wasn’t a key factor for his team, but he played his role. He was heavily involved in forechecking and put a lot of pressure in his own zone to counter the opponent. He recovered a good number of loose pucks and forced a few turnovers from the opponent.
Vinzenz Rohrer was particularly effective in counterattacks. He’s an exceptionally fast forward. His teammates can always count on him to get open when they have possession of the puck. The young player also attempted several dekes on zone entries to try to get to the net. Since his hands are quite good at high speed, his success rate was significant, but we can’t say that the opponents were NHL caliber.
In short, the two Montreal Canadiens prospects performed well in their respective roles for Austria. TSLH Prospects will keep you updated as much as possible during the tournament, which starts tomorrow. Let’s hope the team wins its three games to qualify for the 2026 Winter Olympics. It would be an incredibly valuable experience for them.
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