Reinbacher could make history for Austria at 2023 NHL Draft

The 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft will be heldJune 28-29 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. The first round will be June 28 (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN, TVAS) and rounds 2-7 are June 29 (11 a.m. ET; NHLN, SN, TVAS). NHL.com is counting down to the draft with in-depth profiles on top prospects, podcasts and other features. Today, a look at defenseman David Reinbacher from Kloten in National League, the top men's professional league in Switzerland. NHL.com's full draft coverage can be found here.

David Reinbacher might not have been as nervous sitting for interviews with NHL teams during the 2023 NHL Scouting Combine presented by adidas as some of the other top prospects.

It's because hockey isn't his only specialty.

"There are two jobs," he said. "One for sure is hockey. And then besides hockey, it's recruiting, headhunting, searching for people for projects. That's a big part of the job besides hockey."

As part of his curriculum at United School of Sports in Switzerland, Reinbacher monitors job sites like LinkedIn to recruit job applicants for business projects for companies in Switzerland.

"My dad said always have to have a backup plan, so I tried to do this," he said. "It makes it fun."

The way Reinbacher plays, that backup option might not be necessary. The 18-year-old right-shot defenseman is No. 5 among International skaters in NHL Central Scouting's final rankings presented by BioSteel and the top-rated defenseman.

RELATED: [More 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft Coverage]

He might be the first defenseman selected in the draft.

"For me, he's not far away from the NHL, maybe a year in Europe and some [American Hockey League] experience, but he's not far away from being ready for the NHL," Central Scouting chief European scout Janne Vuorinen said. "He had an impressive season in the Swiss pro league, which is a tough league for young players to put up points and have a big role. I think he is a very skilled player, has a pretty heavy shot on the blue line, very active on the ice, always involved in the action. He makes good decisions with the puck and has good hockey sense.

"He's a pretty complete player, and overall maybe the most NHL-ready defensive prospect in Europe this season and maybe the whole draft year."

Reinbacher (6-2, 194) had 22 points (three goals, 19 assists) in 46 games for Kloten in National League, the top men's professional league in Switzerland.

Reaching National League was the culmination of hard work that saw him move from Austria to Switzerland to play in Kloten's system when he was 14.

"I think it helped me a lot, especially off the ice, to be more mature," Reinbacher said of the move. "It's a different lifestyle there, a different country. So, you've got to learn new things to your life. But I really enjoy it."

Reinbacher developed quickly and made his debut with Kloten in Swiss League, the nation's second-highest professional league, last season, and had 11 points (one goal, 10 assists) in 27 games.

He had an even bigger role this season when Kloten moved up to National League, averaging 18:56 in ice time, second among Kloten defensemen and an increase from 12:20 per game in 2021-22.

"I started Nov. 1 in Kloten, so I started watching him play in October," Kloten general manager Larry Mitchell said. "Just from that time I first saw him until the season ended, he just started to play with more swagger, started to play with more confidence. By the end of the season, he wasn't allowing himself to be pushed around. He had some pushback in his game. A guy would give him a facewash when I was there in October, November, and he was a 17-year-old kid that just kind of took it. By the end of the season, he had some pushback and wasn't afraid to let guys know that he was there.

"In terms of play, as he gained confidence, he started to do more, started to rush the puck a little more instead of just moving it up the ice. He was at the top of our second power-play unit, and he tried some plays he probably wouldn't have tried early on in the season. He's good enough, and with the added confidence his attempts that were sometimes a little higher risk usually worked out."

Reinbacher had two assists and averaged 21:46 of ice time in five games for Austria at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship and had one assist in 15:57 of ice time in four games for Austria at the 2023 IIHF World Championship. A knee injury that kept him out three games prevented him from having a bigger role.

"For sure they're stronger, they're more experienced than you, they know how to play the game up there," Reinbacher said of his adjustment to top-level pro hockey. "Everyone knows his role, everyone knows what to do. If you step in as a young kid there, you've got to respect your role. You've got to be really focused on what you have to do, what your roles are. Respecting the line where you have to go and where not [to go].

"I've learned a lot in hockey and out of hockey like this. There are like some good lessons to learn there with older guys. I'm pretty thankful to enjoy this ride this year, playing against men, playing with men."

Reinbacher said the defenseman he tries to pattern his game after is Roman Josi of the Nashville Predators, who also developed in Switzerland.

"He's a pretty calm player," Reinbacher said. "He came from, not from nowhere, but he came from a small town from Switzerland, worked hard and now he's the model for every player."

Reinbacher hopes to be the model for the next generation of hockey players in Austria. He is expected to be the first defenseman from the country to be selected in the first round, and it will be the third time in four years an Austria-born player is chosen in the first round, following Minnesota Wild forward Marco Rossi (No. 9, 2020) and Detroit Red Wings forward Marco Kasper (No. 8, 2022).

"It's an honor for Austria that we can produce some NHL players," Reinbacher said. "For sure, it will be a big honor to show the kids in Austria it's possible to get here, to show that we can also play hockey and create something out of a small town."

He could challenge forward Thomas Vanek, who was selected by the Buffalo Sabres at No. 5 in the 2003 NHL Draft, as the highest drafted player from Austria.

It might take him some time, however, to match Vanek's reputation at home.

"He's like Arnold Schwarzenegger there," Reinbacher said.

Reinbacher said his plan is to play one more season with Kloten, then assess whether he's ready for the NHL.

He also has his other job to work through.

"For sure, I try to take the next step there to play as soon as possible in the NHL; it's for every kid a dream to play there, and then for sure school," he said. "It is important to me to get something besides hockey, so it will also be nice to go home and play another year there."

Listen: New episode of NHL Draft Class