David Reinbacher absent from NHL showcase: another clue about the CH line-up

This week in Washington, the NHLPA (NHL Players’ Association) is holding a showcase . Basically, it’s a gathering of some of the league’s top prospects.

Must be nice, though.

Why are they there? To get on the ice a bit, but also to promote and prevent. For example, hopefuls can learn how to handle the media.

In fact, Upper Deck will be using the occasion to make official cards for the guys.

3 #GoHabsGo prospects will be taking part in this year’s #NHLPA / Upper Deck Rookie Showcase tomorrow (Tuesday) in Washington D.C.:
Owen Beck
Sean Farrell
Filip Mesar
The pics/videos captured will be used by Upper Deck to create the players’ 1st #NHL & NHLPA licensed rookie cards

– Priyanta Emrith (@HabsInHighHeels) September 4, 2023

For the Habs, Owen Beck, Sean Farrell and Filip Mesar will be there. They’re all rookie players, even though the first two have some NHL experience.

And as Renaud Lavoie reported this morning in his BPM Sports column of the day, the CH is the NHL team best represented at the showcase.

On the plane to Washington. The NHLPA has its showcase tomorrow, and there’s also talk of a poll from @TheAthleticNHL ranking fan sentiment towards their club’s management ⬇️ https://t.co/rWJEgHPtcV

– Renaud Lavoie (@renlavoietva) September 4, 2023

In particular, the Blue Jackets have three prospects who will be there, but no one has more than three.

Not all the NHL’s top prospects are there, but Connor Bedard will be. The first three picks of 2023 (Connor Bedard, Leo Carlsson and Adam Fantilli) will be there. All three could spend the year in North America with the pros.

David Reinbacher, however, will not be there.

We all agree that if the Habs had wanted him there, he would have been. I don’t know if there would have been 36 prospects instead of 35, or if the CH would have chosen to cut one, but at worst, Filip Mesar could have been absent. No?

Let’s not forget that the prospect arrived in Montreal for the camp. So, like many of the prospects who will be at their NHL team’s camp, Reinbacher could have gone to the showcase.

Will Smith and Matvei Michkov, for example, aren’t at the showcase because they won’t be at the Sharks or Flyers camp in 2023.

All this to say that if Reinbacher isn’t there, it’s probably because someone didn’t want him there. And according to Renaud Lavoie, it’s just one more clue that, as we all know, the young man isn’t likely to break into the CH line-up.

Lavoie expects him to be there next year.

Remember that, with congestion on the blue line, the stars would really have to align for the CH to deviate from its plan to send Reinbacher to Switzerland for another year.

Of course, being at the showcase doesn’t mean everything, since I see the three CH prospects who are there starting the season in Laval or the OHL, but as the fifth overall pick, Reinbacher is a special case.

In gusto

– He’ll have to stand up.

– Rocket: lineup will be promising. [LGH]

– Coyotes love their big blue-line prospect. [HF]

– Sad news.