It’s often said: the Canadiens have a bank of very talented prospects.
We can immediately think of more flamboyant young players like Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov.
However, we shouldn’t forget David Reinbacher, because even if he’s less flashy than the other two, the fact remains that he’s a prospect with elite potential.
Unfortunately for him, his development has been slowed by a knee injury sustained in practice that forced him to miss most of the season.
One wonders whether, without this injury, the defenseman would have managed to carve out a regular position with the Habs last season.
In Reinbacher’s case, it’s not a question of if, but when.
And the Swiss will help stabilize the Habs’ defense as a whole, particularly in his zone, which should help the team concede fewer goals.
Remember, the Canadiens were 24th in the NHL in goals allowed with 265, and this is something the team will definitely have to improve.
Is Reinbacher really that good? Yes.
According to Marco D’Amico, on The Shaun Starr Show podcast, the young defenseman reminds him of Carey Price because both players have mastered the fundamentals of their respective positions.
You can listen to the extract here :
These are two players who aren’t necessarily flashy because they do everything so well that it looks easy for them.
And that’s just as well, because a good stay-at-home defender isn’t a flashy thing, and usually, when you notice it, it’s because he hasn’t done his job properly.
D’Amico also discusses Reinbacher’s improved forward play, which includes more use of his delivery to create chances on offense.
David Reinbacher
pic.twitter.com/yLpdKPkbUU
– Renaud Lavoie (@renlavoietva) April 8, 2025
That’s good news for the Habs, too, because if the youngster can develop his shot and become a threat on the powerplay, it would give Martin St-Louis and the team’s powerplay more ammunition.
In short, I can’t wait to see him join the Canadiens.
– From bad to worse!
Herbers is out with an injury.
Too bad, because he seemed to have found his place in the XI.
We’ll follow his situation this week at the Nutrilait Centre. https://t.co/11Rbz49nMm
– Maxime Truman (@MaximeTruman) May 25, 2025
– Eetu Luostarinen out of the game.
Eetu Luostarinen receives a game misconduct for his check on Jackson Blake
pic.twitter.com/BXjQE4cWPj
– TVA Sports (@TVASports) May 25, 2025
– Bob the thief!
ROBBED BY BOB
pic.twitter.com/X9EXgsvNdH
– B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 25, 2025
– Moncton defeat.
London grab the ‘W’ 4:23 into OT.
Morin & Gill with our goals. Mercier with 2 helpers. Rousseau with 45 saves.
https://t.co/AnRq2b8fC q
A day off, then we face WHL Champion Medicine Hat Tigers Monday night. pic.twitter.com/JLw3jO2gW7
– Moncton Wildcats (@monctonwildcats) May 25, 2025
– Good evening, she’s gone!
Vladdy goes deep to get Toronto on the board!
: Blue Jays
Rays live on SN1
: Stream on Sportsnet+ pic.twitter.com/ko0tXO6pod
– Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 25, 2025
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Juraj Slafkovsky is one of the most promising players in the NHL, but now he has been called out by David Pastrnak, who stated he lacks humility. After being picked No. 1 overall in 2022 NHL Draft, expectations were high in Montreal for young star Juraj Slafkovsky, and thus far, he's shown glimpses of being the elite level player many expected when he entered the National Hockey League. However, there are still some major steps to go, and in a recent interview, Boston Bruins star David Pastrnak pointed out perhaps one area where the 21-year old may need to improve moving forward. When asked about Slafkovsky and his potential, Pastrnak gave nothing but a glowing review of the young Canadiens star, but he did note that he believes Slafkovsky needs more humility. 'He's still a young player who is gaining experience in the NHL every year. This season it was already clear that he gave the team more than before...He just needs a little more humility, he should set an example for the young ones.' On the ice, there's no doubting that Slafkovsky has the presence, the size and the talent to be a true star, posting 101 total points over the past two seasons, but for whatever reason, it appears as though Pastrnak believes he needs to improve off the ice before he can take a major leap in Montreal. Ultimately, the talent is still there for Slafkovsky, and at 21-years old, he'll continue to learn off the ice, and if he can go anywhere close to living up to the potential that he's shown in his first three years at the NHL level, there's no doubt that he can be a big time star and help lead the Canadiens to significant post-season success.
There have been a couple of different theories floated about why the Las Vegas Raiders made the shocking decision to cut star defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, but head coach Pete Carroll has no interest in sharing the real motive. The Raiders released Wilkins on Thursday, which was barely a year after they signed him to a four-year, $110M contract in free agency. Initial reports suggested Wilkins and the team were at odds over how the 29-year-old's foot injury was being handled, but the story has since taken a bizarre turn. ESPN's Adam Schefter said on Monday that there was an incident between Wilkins and a teammate in the locker room that Wilkins viewed as playful, but his teammate did not take it that way. Tashan Reed of The Athletic reported that the incident took place in a meeting room at the Raiders' facility last week and was investigated by the team's human resources department. On Tuesday, a reporter asked Carroll about the alleged incident. The 73-year-old coach refused to get into it. "I have no comment to make,” Carroll said, via The Athletic. “We made a decision on what we’re doing, and we’re moving with it. We’ll see how that all unveils itself in time.” The last part of Carroll's comment is interesting. Carroll may have been saying time will tell how the decision to cut Wilkins will turn out for the Raiders, or he may have been insinuating that more information will come out at some point. Raiders defensive tackle Adam Nelson was also asked about Wilkins on Tuesday. Nelson responded by encouraging people to seek therapy if they are struggling with something in their life. Wilkins had 17 total tackles and a pair of sacks in five games with the Raiders before he suffered his season-ending foot injury.
Left-handed starting pitcher Blake Snell is in his 10th major-league season after making his debut with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2016. Snell spent time with the San Diego Padres, then signed a deal with the San Francisco Giants after the 2023 season, which he later opted out of to enter free agency in 2024. The 32-year-old veteran signed a five-year, $182M contract this offseason with the Los Angeles Dodgers after an exceptional 2024 campaign. Snell earned such a lucrative contract thanks to his outstanding career to date, which includes two Cy Young Awards and an All-Star appearance. Over 213 career starts, he owns a 77–58 record, a 3.18 ERA and 1,372 strikeouts. Snell was placed on the injured list on April 6 (retroactive to April 3) with left shoulder inflammation after experiencing discomfort during a bullpen session; he had made only two starts for the Dodgers before the injury. After four minor-league rehab outings, manager Dave Roberts announced on Sunday that Snell is expected to rejoin the rotation next week. With his return looming, the Dodgers have decided to shift to a six-man rotation but now face a decision on right-hander Dustin May’s roster status. May returned to a full-time starting role for the first time in two seasons and has struggled. On Sunday against the Boston Red Sox, May allowed four runs in five innings of work, and he entered the start with an ERA of 4.73. May’s name has surfaced in trade rumors, and he is a candidate to potentially be moved to the bullpen. He is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season.
The NBA offseason has been in full swing for nearly a month now, but Jonathan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors don't appear any closer to reaching an agreement on a new contract. Veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein shared that the Dubs' best offer to the restricted free agent's camp maxed out around two years, $40M. While this proposed extension would mark a substantial pay increase from Kuminga's rookie deal, the fourth-year forward and his camp are unmoved by the offer. Kuminga showed flashes of star potential over his last two seasons with Golden State, but he has proven to be a difficult talent to consistently utilize. When Draymond Green was healthy, Kuminga was nearly unplayable due to his inconsistent offensive contributions. As a result, he was limited to just 47 games and 10 starts in 2024-25, both career lows. It appears that the Warriors understand the untapped potential of Kuminga, but aren't willing to mortgage their future to watch his unfold. With three aging All-Stars in Jimmy Butler, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, Golden State's top priority is winning while they're still around. Kuminga simply doesn't fit the archetype or timeline of what the Warriors need right now. Stein also reported that Kuminga's camp is still adamantly searching for sign-and-trade possibilities, but the Warriors have maintained a steep asking price of a future first-round pick. Considering a team has yet to give Kuminga a competitive offer sheet, though, it seems unlikely that a team will agree to Golden State's demands. At this point, it seems to be in Kuminga's best interest to ride out one last season with the Warriors via a qualifying offer. This way, the multi-faceted forward can hand-pick his next destination as a restricted free agent in the offseason. Kuminga averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists last year, proving he can provide a bit of everything in limited minutes, so there are undoubtedly suitors that will be curious to see Kuminga in a larger role. As a former lottery pick who has taken advantage of his inconsistent opportunities, he shouldn't have an issue latching on with a team that gives him the starting role he's searching for. But he may have to endure one last season under Steve Kerr's tight leash to get there.