Scott Wheeler ranks 5 defensemen higher than David Reinbacher in the 2024 draft

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Elias Edmonson
May 31, 2024 (4:40 PM)

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During the last NHL draft, Kent Hughes surprised many by selecting David Reinbacher instead of Matvei Michkov.

Even though the 2023 draft class was one of forwards, the GM still chose to address a problem with his selection, namely right defense.

In a recent Q&A session, journalist Scott Wheeler of The Athletic added more on this selection. He stated that even though Reinbacher was the first defenseman to be picked in 2023, this wouldn't be the case in 2024.

David Reinbacher wouldn't even be one of the top 5 defensemen in the 2024 draft class, according to Scott Wheeler

In fact, Wheeler's statement is even worse than that�the Austrian wouldn't even be in his top 5 defensemen in this year's draft. Even though he was chosen 5th overall last summer...

Question: Hello Scott, where would you rank Reinbacher among the top defensemen in this year's draft? Last year, it seemed that the Habs' management believed Reinbacher would be better than any of the defensemen available this year.

Answer: I prefer these five: Levshunov, Buium, Parekh, Dickinson, and Silayev. Reinbacher would be closer to where I have Yakemchuk.

From what we understand, Wheeler would choose Artyom Levshunov, Zeev Buium, Zayne Parekh, Sam Dickinson, and Anton Silayev over Reinbacher. One has to wonder what is hurting the Habs' defenseman in this evaluation to receive such a harsh judgment.

David Reinbacher versus the 9th Overall Pick: a Comparison by Scott Wheeler

Reinbacher would be worth a 9th or 10th overall pick in 2024, according to him.

It's true that Reinbacher's season with HC Kloten was challenging. Besides playing in a rather struggling team, he had to go through injuries and coaching changes.

However, his late-season stint with the Laval Rocket reassured many. He managed to find his place and prove that he can do very well in North American hockey. It's important to remember that Reinbacher is not an offensive defenseman like Parekh but stands out for his physicality, defensive play, and breakout ability. Nonetheless, his first goal with the Rocket showed a very nice offensive side of him.

In another question, Wheeler responded about what he thinks will happen to Reinbacher at the beginning of next season. According to him, Hutson will have the upper hand over him to secure a spot with the Habs, while last year's 5th pick will start his season in Laval, unless he has an exceptional camp.

«Hutson would be part of my team. Reinbacher would start in the AHL unless he has a fantastic camp.» - Scott Wheeler

Regardless of what analysts say, one thing is certain. The Hughes-Gorton duo is not afraid to go off the beaten path with bold selections, which for the most part turn out to be wise choices. One only needs to think of the selection of Juraj Slafkovsk�, which was heavily criticized, only to end up being an excellent choice.

Let's give Reinbacher time to prove himself before over-analyzing this selection!

DLC - SCOTT WHEELER PRENDRAIT CINQ DÉFENSEURS DU PROCHAIN REPÊCHAGE AVANT DAVID REINBACHER