LAVAL, Que. \u2013 Montreal Canadiens defenceman Adam Engstr\u00f6m and Laval Rocket defenceman David Reinbacher share many similarities<\/p>\n
Both trained in Europe on larger ice surfaces, playing a style that gives a defenceman more time and space to make decisions, and they both played two full seasons in their country\u2019s top professional league before making the jump to North America.<\/p>\n
Most importantly, they both had a lot to learn about how hockey is played over here and how their skills can translate to this style.<\/p>\n
At the end of his season in the Swiss NL in 2024, Reinbacher came over to Laval to play the final 11 games of the AHL season. The following fall, Engstr\u00f6m made that same jump.<\/p>\n
The two do have some differences. Engstr\u00f6m was drafted in the 2022 third round, and Reinbacher was taken with the No. 5 pick in 2023. Engstr\u00f6m, 22, is a year older and has more than double the AHL experience, appearing in 99 games since the 2024-25 season began, while Reinbacher has played 46.<\/p>\n
Those reasons, in the eyes of Laval Rocket coach Pascal Vincent, explain why Engstr\u00f6m is currently playing well for the Canadiens while Reinbacher remains in Laval.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe physical maturity of Adam Engstr\u00f6m, he\u2019s older. Just compare them at the same age, and then we\u2019re going to have a real conversation, but right now, Adam is older,\u201d Vincent said Thursday after Rocket practice. \u201cAnd he wasn\u2019t injured, so he was able to train. Reino spent a year and a half or so just trying to get back from an injury. When you do that, you\u2019re not building on top, you\u2019re just trying to level up.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd Reino is a tall person, so he needs to fill in that body, and it takes time. And it\u2019s fine. It\u2019s not a problem. There\u2019s no rush. But I can tell you, the mindset and the potential is outstanding.\u201d<\/p>\n
Though Reinbacher\u2019s progress two and a half years post-draft might raise concerns, Engstr\u00f6m\u2019s NHL ascension offers a more optimistic blueprint. Engstr\u00f6m\u2019s breakthrough was fueled by a volume of reps \u2014 in-game action and healthy practices \u2014 in Laval that Reinbacher hasn\u2019t yet matched.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo me, there was a real good indication that he was moving to the next step last year in the playoffs. I think he was just dominant,\u201d Vincent said of Engstr\u00f6m. \u201cAnd then I knew he would have a good summer, he\u2019s a real good athlete, he takes real good care of himself, very powerful lower body, smart kid, fun to be around. It was just a matter of time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\ud83d\udea8ADAM ENGSTR\u00d6M!! PARDON \ud83d\ude31<\/p>\n
CLE 0 \u2013 6 LAV pic.twitter.com\/TtdDs6mvSc<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Rocket de Laval (@RocketLaval) March 22, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n When Engstr\u00f6m first arrived in Laval, he needed to adapt his game to North America. Enter Rocket assistant coach Daniel Jacob.<\/p>\n Engstr\u00f6m had to learn how to box out in front of the net, kill plays effectively by using the ice\u2019s limited space to his advantage, and use his stick, feet and smarts to make an impact defensively.<\/p>\n \u201cDan did an amazing job with him; they created a really strong relationship, and he bought into it,\u201d Vincent said. \u201cAfter understanding and building that relationship with Adam, he bought into it, and we just gave him more and more and more, and he just took it.\u201d<\/p>\n In other words, there was a process there. That takes time, but it can be accelerated for a player who is ready, willing and humble enough to learn.<\/p>\n That\u2019s what the Rocket had in Engstr\u00f6m. That\u2019s what the Rocket has in Reinbacher.<\/p>\n Alex Belzile has played 14 years of professional hockey at every level. Beginning his career with the ECHL\u2019s Gwinnett Gladiators in 2012, he\u2019s now one of the top scorers in the AHL with Laval.<\/p>\n The 34-year-old forward has seen many young players come and go over that time.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s been improving; that\u2019s always a good sign for a young guy,\u201d Belzile said of the 21-year-old Reinbacher. \u201cHe wants to learn; he has the right attitude. He\u2019s asking questions, and he doesn\u2019t have the \u2018Yes, but \u2026\u2019 syndrome. You know, like yes, but always something.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s a good sign, because I\u2019ve been around a lot of young guys, a lot of \u2018yes, but\u2019 guys, and Reino is not one of them.\u201d<\/p>\n Jacob would appreciate that character trait in Reinbacher the most. Vincent recently revealed how Laval coaches showed Reinbacher a highlight package from his draft year to remind him why he was such a high pick \u2014 and what elements of his game made him so attractive to the Canadiens.<\/p>\n Jacob made that video on his own initiative. Vincent did not see it or know about it until it was done.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I watched it, I could understand why he went so early in the draft,\u201d Vincent said. \u201cKilling plays, smart decisions, physical \u2026 the timing, understanding what\u2019s open, what\u2019s not open, the size, right shot, a lot of things going well for him. And he\u2019s a great kid on top of that.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s what Dan did, showed him the clips of what it looked like, not because he lost it, but just as a reminder, like, this is why you\u2019re such a good player.\u201d<\/p>\n The reason for showing Reinbacher that video was not some crisis of confidence. It was because of his lack of reps since coming over to Laval, which was made worse this season by missing the first month with a broken hand.<\/p>\n \u201cYou haven\u2019t played in so long, or you haven\u2019t played many games, and then you\u2019re trying to create your own identity,\u201d Vincent explained. \u201cBut, you have it. We know what it looks like; we\u2019ve just got to remind him what it looks like. So it was not driven by anything other than wanting to reset the whole thing.\u201d<\/p>\n It worked.<\/p>\n \u201cNow, we\u2019re replacing those clips with this year\u2019s clips,\u201d Vincent said. \u201cThings that looked like something from back before the draft to bring it to now, and that\u2019s what it looks like now. So that evolution, I think his last game in Belleville, he was really solid.\u201d<\/p>\n Here is one example of how that looked in that game against Belleville on New Year\u2019s Eve, a 4-3 Rocket win:<\/p>\n And here is a very similar play he made in his Swiss NL debut in his draft year<\/a>, except instead of doing it in the offensive zone, he did it in the neutral zone:<\/p>\n However, it\u2019s Reinbacher\u2019s subtleties that leave an impression on his coaches and teammates: The consistency of his decisions and a playmaking ability that doesn\u2019t necessarily lead directly to goals but sets the process in motion.<\/p>\n \u201cI think he can fit with any kind of style, but I think he fits the Montreal Canadiens\u2019 style, which is fast-paced, D joining the play. That\u2019s where the game is going, and that\u2019s what we preach here as well,\u201d Vincent said. \u201cBut it\u2019s his ability to make plays. When you have success, you break out in control; your breakouts are clean.<\/p>\n \u201cIn order to do that, it\u2019s a group of five, but your two defencemen, they have to be able to make plays. Because if you just chip it out and you hunt the puck and you chase the puck the whole time, it\u2019s not going to work.<\/p>\n \u201cIt starts with your breakouts and your gap control. If you have a strong gap, you\u2019re going to kill plays and you\u2019re going to break out quicker, and he\u2019s got all the skills to make that happen. That fits the NHL today, but even more so a fast-paced hockey team like we have here and in Montreal.\u201d<\/p>\n Reino ouvre la marque \ud83d\ude80
Reino scores first! https:\/\/t.co\/F9y4MQTu0X<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/gTITvMRfyr<\/a><\/p>\n