LAS VEGAS – One year ago, the Canadiens made David Reinbacher their fifth-overall selection at the 2023 NHL Draft in Nashville, TN.
With Montreal picking in the same spot again at this year’s event in Las Vegas, NV, the Habs’ content team caught up with the Austrian defenseman to find out what advice he’d give to the Club’s future top prospect and to reminisce on his own experience at the Draft.
Please note that answers have been modified for clarity and conciseness.
What do you remember most from the Draft?
I would probably say when I was sitting in the rink in Nashville. When it got close, I kind of got this feeling right before the fifth pick. I was like, “Okay, it’s probably time now.” I said that to my dad, and he told me that he had the same feeling, and it turned out this way. Just standing up, looking into my dad’s eyes and just seeing how proud he was and all my other family members... it was an incredible feeling, walking down. We worked so hard for this dream [to come true] so just to reach the first step of a hopefully long career, is an incredible feeling. I couldn’t really realize it until December or January of this season. It was kind of like, coming home and looking at all the photos and that sort of thing, that's when I started to realize it. It all came together when I took a step back.
Does anything else stand out from that experience now that a year has passed?
I would say the road of your emotions. It’s special. After flying in to Nashville, my parents, other family members, and I went out for dinner. My coach was also there, and it was an incredible feeling because the feeling was intense from day to day, and getting more intense every day. It was like, “Okay, now it’s happening.” What I worked for... it was my childhood dream to get drafted. Every day I looked at the clock hoping that time would pass quickly, and suddenly it's the day and you get dressed, you walk down to the rink and it’s so quick. You get drafted and then there’s all the media and so many friends contact you. It’s quick, but it’s a special feeling. I wish every kid could experience that.
How did being drafted influence your mentality going into this last season?
You want more. It’s always nice to get some success, but as an athlete, you want more and more success. It pushes you to train harder. It was like that for me even before. You want more and more. You live off that success, you feed off it, if you can reach your dreams, it gives you a good feeling and that’s why you train harder and harder every day to feed off those small successes that come from the goals you set and the success you want. It gives you an incredible feeling if you can reach them.
Did Carey Price, a former fifth-overall selection in 2005, give you advice last year?
Yeah, it was really nice. I met him a couple of times when I was with my billets (they know him). [...] We talked about hockey but mostly about other stuff. He just told me: “Be the kid you were before and don’t change. You will make your way and just put in the work every day. One day you will be where you want to be.” [...] He’s a great guy and I’m so thankful to have spoken to him a couple of times and hopefully we get to chat more as the journey goes on.
Any words of wisdom for our future no. 5 pick?
Just enjoy it. If you look back, you’ll probably think about what an incredible season you had, what an incredible ride it is, and topping it off with your childhood dream is something special. No matter what happens, be in the moment and enjoy it. [Take in] all the moments.
