The Montreal Canadiens made a major decision regarding a top-five pick from the 2023 NHL Draft. Defenseman David Reinbacher is headed to North America after playing in Switzerland this season. The Habs assigned the 19-year-old rearguard to Laval Rocket of the AHL. And the young defender has a supporter in forward Juraj Slafkovsky.
Slafkovsky faced the media on Monday ahead of Montreal’s next game. The 19-year-old forward said he’d get in touch with Reinbacher now that he is coming to Quebec. And he took the opportunity to throw a humorous shot at the media in the process.
“For sure I’ll text him good luck and I’ll probably see him more now on my Instagram whenever I open it because you guys [media] are going to write about him everyday,” Slafkovsky said, via Canadiens reporter Priyanta Emrith.
Canadiens’ Juraj Slafkovsky can relate to David Reinbacher
Juraj Slafkovsky understands the pressure on David Reinbacher right now. Slafkovsky entered the NHL as the first-overall pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. The pick caught some by surprise, as many tabbed Kingston Frontenacs star Shane Wright as the potential top pick.
Slafkovsky made the Canadiens roster to begin the 2022-23 season. However, his first season with the Habs was cut short by injury. The Slovakia native played in 39 games, scoring just four goals and 10 points. Slafkovsky made the roster again this year and has played well after a slow start.
Reinbacher, meanwhile, went fifth overall last June. Many believed the Austrian rearguard was the top available defenseman in the 2023 class. He had one of the more productive draft-eligible seasons in Switzerland last season, leading to the Habs selecting him. This year, Reinbacher scored one goal and 10 points in 35 games.
Juraj Slafkovsky is beginning to find his stride in the NHL. And it sounds as if he wants to help David Reinbacher along in his journey to the league. If all goes right, the Canadiens will have quite the duo on their hands for years to come.
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