(BUFFALO, NY) Hockey players often like to say that they treat every game the same way, perhaps to convince themselves that this is the case, and avoid falling into excess nervousness. David Reinbacher made no secret of it on Friday evening, a few minutes after his first match in the rookie tournament.
“It’s not a normal day,” said the 5e pick in the last draft.
Reinbacher, Logan Mailloux and the organization’s other hopefuls had their hands full on Friday at the opening of the rookie tournament. The Sabres, the host team, bludgeoned the Canadian 6-3 on Friday evening.
“It’s a great honor to put on the Canadian jersey, with the long history of the team,” commented Reinbacher. It’s not a normal day, so you’re a little nervous, but it goes away quickly.
” It was hard. The rink is smaller, there is more talent here and the guys want to show that they belong. I just tried to act normal. It was my first match, I loved the experience and can’t wait for the next match. »
For this baptism with the NHL prospects, Reinbacher looked like what he is, an 18-year-old defenseman who is also trying to adapt to North American-sized ice rinks. In the first period, in particular, he found himself with his nose in the bay window a few times, physically beaten by his rivals, giving them time of possession in Montreal territory.
“He discovers the level of play,” recalled Rocket head coach Jean-François Houle. He played a decent match. He’s a big defender, he skates well and he made some good plays. It gives him pro hockey experience. »
For what it’s worth, the scoresheet credited him with an assist on Miguël Tourigny’s goal, but that pass instead went to Owen Beck, even though Reinbacher was in the box.
Another one who has had difficult times is Logan Mailloux. He was on the ice for the Sabres’ first three goals, including one after he stopped skating in pursuit of the puck on what he thought was a disallowed clearance, which ultimately wasn’t.
We were also able to observe a defender who is not afraid of rough play, which even earned him a good slap from a rival during a scrum in front of the net. And at the end of the match, the big number 94 allowed himself the kind of rise that allowed him to score 25 goals last season in London.
“This game is the Logan Mailloux you’re going to know,” predicted forward Owen Beck, who faced Mailloux in the Ontario junior circuit for the past two years.
“I felt him nervous,” Houle agreed. But several young people were, I noticed it during morning training. It’s normal. We have several young people and they played their first game with the Canadian jersey. You have to learn from this experience. »
Beck and Mailloux have visibly made peace, after having had a few skirmishes during the last OHL series.
“We were in the same place at the same time. We weren’t best friends at the time, but we’re both competitive guys. He’s a good guy to know when he’s on your team! “, Beck said, amused.
Speaking of Beck, he was one of the best in his camp, as was also the case last year. His work in the defensive zone was at the origin of a goal for his team, and he also offered himself a major league retreat to deprive the Sabers of a breakaway. A good start for choosing 2e tour of the CH in 2022.
Still at the front, Xavier Simoneau played with his usual enthusiasm, even making Chris Jandric, who came to defend Zack Benson, lose his composure, whom Simoneau had just pushed.
On defense, William Trudeau, a surprise for the Rocket last year, offered assured play as Reinbacher’s partner. It was he, Simoneau, who wore the captain’s “C”, as the rare player with experience in the American League.
In net, Jakub Dobes made some impressive saves, even though he allowed five goals (the sixth was scored into an empty net).
PHOTO PATRICK SANFAÇON, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Jakub Dobes
The match was interrupted for 15 minutes, in 3e period, after a bay window was broken. The tournament is taking place at the Sabres’ training center, and the panel that broke was located just under the mezzanine, which made replacing the glass extremely complicated. The referees and players even had time to retreat to the locker room.
The attendants were treated to a warm ovation once they had completed the operation. We are still trying to find out if the applause was sincere or sarcastic.
This may seem like a truth from La Palice, but it appears that the Canadian is not the only team to have interesting prospects and to invest in player development.
Isak Rosen and Matt Savoie, two of the five picks of 1er tour in the Sabres, dominated the game and made an inexperienced Montreal defense dizzy.
“It’s a very good hockey team. We knew they had talented young players and they showed some great things,” conceded Simoneau. “They had speed, talent and big first-round picks,” Houle added.
The Sabers are more advanced than the CH in their recovery, but Savoie and Zach Benson, their choices of 1er tour in 2022 and this year, just looked like top prospects on Friday.
And like the Canadian, the Sabers have also taken a turn towards player development in recent years. Seth Appert, the head coach of their school club which is coming from the American development program, made comments Friday morning which were reminiscent of what Martin St-Louis, Adam Nicholas and other members of the new guard of the CH advocate, with exercises to accelerate decision-making, in restricted spaces.
The Habs will, on paper, have a less threatening challenge Saturday against the Bruins, an organization that has drafted very little in the 1er tour in recent years. But when we talk about the deadlines for the reconstruction of the Habs, we must also take into account what is being done elsewhere.