The Hockey News has Austrian D David Reinbacher as its ninth rated prospect. Here's why:
The Hockey News' 2023 NHL Draft Preview issue has been available for over a month, but, in case you've missed it, THN's prospect ranking would send Austrian defenseman David Reinbacher to the Detroit Red Wings with the ninth pick in the first round.
Reinbacher is a late bloomer—hardly registering as a potential first round selection until an exemplary draft year for EHC Kloten in the Swiss National League and an outstanding World Juniors for Austria—who is now perceived as the top defenseman in a forward-heavy draft.
That Reinbacher played for Kloten in the National League is already a strong mark in his favor. Playing as an 18-year-old in a highly competitive European men's league is no small feat, almost regardless of results. As it happens, Reinbacher didn't just play for Kloten at 18 but excelled—leading the team's defense corps in 5-on-5 minutes and posting 22 points and a +7 rating in 46 games (stats courtesy of Elite Prospects).
It can be perilous to put too much weight into a single tournament, but Reinbacher also looked outstanding at the 2023 WJC, where his experience at the senior men's level seemed to lend him an impressive confidence and decisiveness for an otherwise over-matched Austrian outfit.
Reinbacher shows an impressive hockey IQ, and he's a strong skater and capable puck mover and carrier. He doesn't show signs of becoming a dazzling offensive player, but he is effective.
Perhaps most appealing about Reinbacher's game is his acumen as a one-on-one defender. Thanks to his size and skating, Reinbacher does an excellent job of closing space when an opponent has a chance in transition. What looks to be a promising opportunity quickly becomes a turnover with the 6-foot-2 Austrian patrolling the blue line.
An anonymous scout expressed skepticism to THN that Reinbacher projects as a top pair NHL defender. In large part due to a lack of elite puck-handling skill, there is a sense that Reinbacher's ceiling is not as high as you might hope for a top-ten pick. THN's Ryan Kennedy suggests that Reinbacher's best case comparable is Mattias Ekholm, who might not be a Norris winner but showed last year in Edmonton that even at 33 he can be a game-changing defenseman.
Reinbacher showed some impressive playmaking instincts with Kloten, and the skills he does show project quite favorably to the NHL level. Great defensive effort and performance in the neutral zone might not be the most exciting trait for a top prospect to demonstrate, but it's one that can make Reinbacher a useful player for a decade in the NHL, even if he never becomes a great offensive player.
In the context of the ninth pick, it's also worth pointing out that Detroit isn't drafting a player who play NHL games next season. At his pre-draft press availability, Steve Yzerman clarified that he doesn't view "drafting for need" as a sound philosophy; in other words, he would sooner take the best player on the board than a player who appears to fill a more pressing need on the NHL roster. Among the reasons for that approach is that at pick number nine, you are never going to find a player who is NHL-ready straight away.
So, while some Red Wing fans might be keen to find a goalscorer and/or a centerman with this pick, that consideration is more pertinent to the trade and free agent marketplace than the draft.