Canadiens’ David Reinbacher out four weeks with broken hand

The Montreal Canadiens announced Friday that defenseman David Reinbacher will be sidelined for four weeks after suffering a metacarpal bone injury.

The injury occured in preseason action Thursday against the Atlantic Division rival Toronto Maple Leafs in which Reinbacher left midway through the game and did not return. In all, the injury is the latest setback for Reinbacher who missed 56 games of the 2024-25 campaign after suffering a knee injury in exhibition play before later undergoing surgery.

While Reinbacher has yet to make his NHL debut, he was assigned to the AHL affiliated Laval Rocket last February after returning from injury. With Laval, the 20-year-old Austrian-born blue-liner saw 10 appearances in which he scored twice and added three assists for five points coupled with a plus-five rating. Reinbacher was then a standout in Calder Cup play as he posted two goals and four assists for six points through 13 postseason appearances.

In all, through part of two seasons with Laval, Reinbacher has registered 10 points counting four goals and six assists through 21 total appearances. Reinbacher was originally chosen fifth overall by the Canadiens in the 2023 NHL Draft. In July 2023, Reinbacher signed his entry-level contract with the Canadiens. The budding blue-liner is currently eligible to become a restricted free agent in the 2028 offseason, according to PuckPedia.

For the Canadiens, the club begins the 2025-26 regular season October 8 versus the Maple Leafs, part of a three-game road swing ahead of the squad’s October 14 home opener at the Bell Centre versus the Seattle Kraken.

A year ago, headlined by an 89-point effort from captain Nick Suzuki, the Canadiens went 40-31-11 to finish with 91 points and qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in four years before falling to the Eastern Conference champion Washington Capitals in five games.