A meeting between David Reinbacher and GM Kent Hughes went really badly in Buffalo
Several were frustrated to see that Kent Hughes and his team preferred David Reinbacher over Matvei Michkov during the 2023 draft.
We now learn that the Canadiens almost passed not only on the Russian forward but also on the Austrian defenseman.
Indeed, according to a report by Nicolas Cloutier from the TVA Sports website, the first meeting between Reinbacher and the Canadiens went very poorly.
The Canadiens almost gave up on David Reinbacher
So much so that the organization for a moment thought the defenseman was no longer the right choice for them. It was during the second meeting that doubts were erased as the Canadiens' management was able to better understand the reserved personality of the defenseman.
This was revealed when the journalist, who is currently meeting the club's prospects, was invited to a Q&A on the Reddit page of the r/Habs account.
Before my interview with Reinbacher, I knew what to expect. Let me tell you an interesting story: Reinbacher's first interview with the Canadiens at the Combine went very poorly. To the point where they weren't even sure if he was their guy anymore. But they called him back for a second interview and were able to better understand his personality. He's a bit shy and awkward, which can be surprising because he doesn't show that on the ice. But he's a very nice guy with good manners. So respectful.
You can tell he's been trained in public relations with everything that has happened since the draft, and he's very keen on giving the perfect answer instead of just letting his personality shine through. When we talked about his game and what he can become, he had a quiet confidence in himself.
As for Slafkovsky my God. He was brash, man. Super confident. I didn't hold back with any questions. I was very, very impressed."
- Nicolas Cloutier
It's quite surprising to see, with everything he's gone through since joining the club, that the young man wasn't comfortable during his interview with the Canadiens. Despite everything, he managed to convince the organization and also win over the hearts of Canadiens fans who weren't too happy with his selection.
Also noteworthy, the Canadiens seem to have done an excellent job with Reinbacher in terms of communication. He was quickly taken under the wing of the organization, which allowed him to navigate the controversy surrounding his draft selection effectively.
On this subject, he mentioned to Nicolas Cloutier that he is not troubled by Michkov's arrival in the NHL this season. He also doesn't see the arrival of Demidov with the Canadiens as a blessing that alleviates the pressure from his selection over Michkov.
"It hasn't taken any pressure off my shoulders [Demidov's selection]. It's simply what the Canadiens decided to do. It's their choice and their plan. It's in their hands."
- David Reinbacher
Source: DansLesCoulissesLa première entrevue de David Reinbacher avec le CH s'est très mal déroulée
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