Photo credit: David Kirouac – USA Today Sports

Things have gone from bad to worse for the Montreal Canadiens as they have just discovered the lengthy recovery timeline for David Reinbacher after loss to Leafs.

The aftermath of Saturday’s pre-season matchup between the Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs continues to be felt as Reinbacher and Patrik Laine are injured for the foreseeable future.

Laine is expected to be out until the following calendar year after his knee-on-knee collision with Cedric Pare. Reinbacher, on the other hand, was taken out of the game after Marshall Rifai stood him up in open-ice with a solid check. Both players were seen leaving the Bell Centre on crutches after the game.

On Tuesday, the Canadiens officially announced that Reinbacher underwent surgery on his left knee and is expected to be sidelined for the next 5-6 months, effectively setting him up for a very late season return, if at all.

 

Reinbacher was drafted 5th overall during the 2023 NHL Entry Draft and was expected to play a large role for the Laval Rocket of the AHL this season. He finished his season with Kloten HC of the Swiss league before a quick pit stop at the end of the AHL season last year, where he recorded 5 points in 11 games.

His current timeline sets him up for a potential return around February-April, which unfortunately takes away a key season of development for the young defenseman.