HF Habs: 2023 HF Habs Prospect Rankings #3

[le_sean]

Odd results. Mailloux is not better than Beck.

 

[Whitesnake]

Went with Beck. Not going to win this one...lol

 

[26Mats]

Odd results. Mailloux is not better than Beck.

It's a long term projection.

Mailloux has missed a lot of playing time. I hope he stays healthy and gets a lot of games in over the next couple of years.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Calling Reinbachers skating anything short of great is poor evaluation.

Perhaps. While I am usually dismissive of on-line scouting reports and prefer to make my own assessment of a prospect (where adequate video of the player exists) , in Reinbacher's case, I can concur with many of what these services have concluded:

Top Shelf Prospects​

…….. that doesn’t mean he is a world-class skater. He does not possess very good speed. He is above average for his 6’2” and 187-pound frame, but generally, he is average to below average in that department. Additionally, he lacks quality edges and acceleration. He loses speed in his turns and, while technically sound, he does not have a strong first few strides.​

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Recruit Scouting​

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In terms of skating ability, Reinbacher’s is fine as he doesn’t possess top end speed or agility but has enough to be competent. We do see Reinbacher skate forward and break the puck out himself however he normally crosses the offensive blue line and passes the puck off as he doesn’t quite have the speed to break past defenders.​

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The Win Column

Skating​

This is the biggest knock on Reinbacher. While his skating isn’t awful by any means, it’s just fine at best. He’s weak on his edges, lacks acceleration and a strong first step, and really doesn’t move the puck up the ice by himself with any kind of intimidation. Scouts have noted that technically, his skating is extremely clean—it’s just not polished enough to be dangerous at the professional level. It’s a coachable weakness, but is cause for pause as the game seems to increase in speed every single year.​

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Sasha Lagarde of Dobber Prospects​

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Reinbacher doesn’t have elite skating or passing ability but he is super efficient in both aspects.​

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Mckeens Hockey​

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Reinbacher is going to have to make his mark as a transition defenseman and the skating he displays can be choppy at times, with a lack of bent-knee acceleration or the kind of crossovers that scream of top-flight skating.​

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recrutes.ca​

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He needs to work on his quickness and mobility.​

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Nothing that I have seen of Reinbacher's play would tend to contradict the above observations. But maybe these services have equally exercised poor evaluation. But on the positive side, Reinbacher is faster than Michkov. Nevertheless, Reinbacher remains an excellent prospect and in the end may well surpass Engstrom. With Hutson, Guhle, Mailloux, Engstrom, Reinbacher and Xhekaj the team is building a foundation for long term success and Reinbacher will be at the center of it..

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[Gustave]

Engstrom for me he looks like a sure top 4 dmen that coaches will rely on and love

Ekholm, maybe?

 

[Belial]

Ekholm, maybe?

If his ceiling is Ekholm then it's a failure IMO.

 

[Gustave]

If his ceiling is Ekholm then it's a failure IMO.

Are you ok Belial?

Ekholm is a great defenceman, you need those kinds and they are tough to get. I love Ekholm man

 

[Belial]

Are you ok Belial?

Ekholm is a great defenceman, you need those kinds and they are tough to get. I love Ekholm man

I love Ekholm also but I hope they didn't draft this kid hoping he could become Ekholm ffs!?

 

[Gustave]

I love Ekholm also but I hope they didn't draft this kid hoping he could become Ekholm ffs!?

I think they would be giddy for him to develop into a rock like Ekhlom. Like party throwing giddy

 

[Belial]

I think they would be giddy for him to develop into a rock like Ekhlom. Like party throwing giddy

Naaah , no way that's true! I refuse to believe that thing that I just read!

This kid will put Ekholm in his side pocket in 2 years @Gustave!

 

[Gustave]

Naaah , no way that's true! I refuse to believe that thing that I just read!

This kid will put Ekholm in his side pocket in 2 years @Gustave!

That is BOLD man. That's cool man, if it happens I'll be happy, "party throwing" happy.

I'll be more conservative and hope that in two years he has an eye opening season for Laval

 

[le_sean]

I love Ekholm also but I hope they didn't draft this kid hoping he could become Ekholm ffs!?

I mean Ekholm is a top pairing quality defenceman that will likely play over 1,000 NHL games. There’s nothing wrong with getting a player like that at 5.

 

[Gustave]

I mean Ekholm is a top pairing quality defenceman that will likely play over 1,000 NHL games. There’s nothing wrong with getting a player like that at 5.

5? We are talking Engstrom man

 

[Mrb1p]

Perhaps. While I am usually dismissive of on-line scouting reports and prefer to make my own assessment of a prospect (where adequate video of the player exists) , in Reinbacher's case, I can concur with many of what these services have concluded:

Top Shelf Prospects​

…….. that doesn’t mean he is a world-class skater. He does not possess very good speed. He is above average for his 6’2” and 187-pound frame, but generally, he is average to below average in that department. Additionally, he lacks quality edges and acceleration. He loses speed in his turns and, while technically sound, he does not have a strong first few strides.​

​

---

Recruit Scouting​

​

In terms of skating ability, Reinbacher’s is fine as he doesn’t possess top end speed or agility but has enough to be competent. We do see Reinbacher skate forward and break the puck out himself however he normally crosses the offensive blue line and passes the puck off as he doesn’t quite have the speed to break past defenders.​

​

---

The Win Column

Skating​

This is the biggest knock on Reinbacher. While his skating isn’t awful by any means, it’s just fine at best. He’s weak on his edges, lacks acceleration and a strong first step, and really doesn’t move the puck up the ice by himself with any kind of intimidation. Scouts have noted that technically, his skating is extremely clean—it’s just not polished enough to be dangerous at the professional level. It’s a coachable weakness, but is cause for pause as the game seems to increase in speed every single year.​

​

---

Sasha Lagarde of Dobber Prospects​

​

Reinbacher doesn’t have elite skating or passing ability but he is super efficient in both aspects.​

​

---

Mckeens Hockey​

​

Reinbacher is going to have to make his mark as a transition defenseman and the skating he displays can be choppy at times, with a lack of bent-knee acceleration or the kind of crossovers that scream of top-flight skating.​

​

---

recrutes.ca​

​

He needs to work on his quickness and mobility.​

​

---

Nothing that I have seen of Reinbacher's play would tend to contradict the above observations. But maybe these services have equally exercised poor evaluation. But on the positive side, Reinbacher is faster than Michkov. Nevertheless, Reinbacher remains an excellent prospect and in the end may well surpass Engstrom. With Hutson, Guhle, Mailloux, Engstrom, Reinbacher and Xhekaj the team is building a foundation for long term success and Reinbacher will be at the center of it..

​

.

Two seconds of googling and I found two examples that makes this long drawn out post irrelevant.

 

[le_sean]

5? We are talking Engstrom man

Damn when Belial said if his ceiling is Ekholm then it’s disappointing, I just assumed he meant Reinbacher. Why the f*** would anyone be disappointed if a 3rd round pick becomes Ekholm? That’s asinine.

 

[Gustave]

Damn when Belial said if his ceiling is Ekholm then it’s disappointing, I just assumed he meant Reinbacher. Why the f*** would anyone be disappointed if a 3rd round pick becomes Ekholm? That’s asinine.

I know man…
@Belial is a big boy though, he battles his own battle like no other around here

Maybe he also thought he was thinking about Reinbacher

 

[Belial]

Damn when Belial said if his ceiling is Ekholm then it’s disappointing, I just assumed he meant Reinbacher. Why the f*** would anyone be disappointed if a 3rd round pick becomes Ekholm? That’s asinine.

I know man…
@Belial is a big boy though, he battles his own battle like no other around here

Maybe he also thought he was thinking about Reinbacher

Sorry for the confusion guys, I was clearly talking about Reinbacher...

If Engstrom becomes an Ekholm that would be an amazing pick.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

In my long association with hockey I have seen a lot of "Roy type" players: great hands, superior offensive vision, some size, but slow feet. Some Roy type players turn out to be Mark Stone, but most, turn out to be AHLers. Roy wasn't even prominent in the development camp. Roy was taken in the fourth round in his draft class, an accurate reflection of what the hockey world thinks of his potential.

As for Reinbacher, I think he is an excellent prospect, I'm just concerned about his straight-forward speed. In the tapes that I have seen of his play, nothing of his skating pops out that screams, superstar. He's not slow, but elite skating is not his calling card. One play/sequence during the development camp underscored my concerns in this regard. Reinbacher was supporting an offensive rush in the offensive zone when the puck was turned over and he had to turn and chase the play. Reinbacher couldn't catch the counter attacking forward. He wasn't exactly chasing Jack Eichel. He may get faster. He may not. Engstrom is already fast.

You can't use a snapshot in time to make a meaningful judgement on a player. Roy going in the 5th round is only relevant to how scouts were feeling in the summer of 2021. If he was drafted in any of the 2 years previous or post 2021 he would be much higher including being a likely first rounder in at least two of them and possibly all 4 of them. This has been a long standing issue for me when fans bring up draft pedigree because it is far more relevant how good a prospect is at 19 and 20 than when they are 18 but people insist on putting more weight into their 18 year old season because of the draft number associated with it. This is one of the greatest fallacies in prospect discussion forums.

Adam Engstrom and Lane Hutson are likely first rounders as 19 year olds after being a late 3rd and a late 2nd just one year ago. It is safe to say that it is entirely irrelevant in their cases where they were drafted and this perspective should be adopted for all post draft evaluations of NHL prospects.

I think you put way too much emphasis on skating and not nearly enough on IQ. Joshua Roy is already making elite NHL level reads on the ice and is extremely good on the boards and at protecting the puck in traffic. He makes quick decisions that facilitate complex plays and simply sees the play developing faster than the other players on the ice. He has a great shot/release as well so he is dangerous in all areas of the offensive zone. I do agree that his skating is a concern but it is a mistake to lump him in with previous top junior scorers who couldn't translate to the pros imo. It will come down to work ethic imo and if he wants it bad enough I certainly wouldn't bet against him.

 

[emptyNedder]

Sorry for the confusion guys, I was clearly talking about Reinbacher...

If Engstrom becomes an Ekholm that would be an amazing pick.

I have been reading your board's comments--catching up on Engstrom's progress. He was one of my top under-valued D prospects in '22 (based on a model I have created*).

I haven't watched him nearly as much as each of you--but the player I think Engstrom "becomes" is Alec Martinez. From what I have been able to find from reading (I like to test the model after it makes an analysis), he should be an excellent top-4 complementary D who can play 20 minutes, not take bad penalties, and score enough given his role.

*My model seems to be outperforming scouting services and NHL picks (though since it is 4 years old, NHL success is still to be determined).