David Reinbacher injury: Torn knee meniscus speculated by expert doctor after Habs rookie's early exit

Sports injury expert Dr. Harjas Grewal shared his thoughts on Habs rookie David Reinbacher's injury on Saturday. He noted that the twisting of Reinbacher's left knee might indicate a torn meniscus.

The Canadiens are facing a series of injuries. Just four seconds into the pre-season game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday, David Reinbacher was checked hard into the boards by Marshall Rifai. Reinbacher fell awkwardly and had to leave the ice with help from the medical staff.

Things got worse when forward Patrik Laine had a knee-on-knee collision with Cedric Pare. Laine couldn't put weight on his left leg and showed frustration as he left the game.

"Not very obvious so take with a grain of salt, "Grewal tweeted. "Some twisting of the left knee so torn meniscus comes to mind . Also valgus stress so MCL injury and even high ankle sprain possible for Reinbacher. Likely no info until MRI tomorrow."

After the first period, the Canadiens confirmed that neither David Reinbacher nor Laine would return. Reinbacher played only 13 seconds, while Laine played 2:22 before leaving.

The Canadiens lost the game 2-1, with Nicholas Robertson scoring both goals for the Leafs. The Canadiens struggled offensively, going 0-for-7 on power plays.

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David Reinbacher's injury leaves Canadiens with tough decisions

Last season, the Montreal Canadiens lost 720 man-games to injury in the 2021-22 season and broke that mark with 751 in 2022-23. Coach Martin St. Louis said that the team must keep moving forward despite the injuries.

Captain Nick Suzuki rejected the idea of a “jinx” regarding injuries. He called the play unfortunate and said that such collisions happen often.

“It’s an unfortunate play,” Suzuki said (via montrealgazette.com). “That (zone) entry happens a lot. I thought the guy lunged there pretty good and got him hard. It su**s for Patty, and it su**s for us.”

After the hits, Canadiens player Arber Xhekaj fought Pare. He received several penalties, leaving the team with only four defensemen for the rest of the game.

Players like Mike Matheson acknowledged the frustration but said that the team needs to focus on the season ahead.

“It’s very, very unfortunate,” Matheson said. "I’m all for not playing shinny hockey out there. You got to play hard and get ready for the season, but that’s just definitely unfortunate.”

The Canadiens face the Ottawa Senators in two pre-season games before starting their regular season against the Maple Leafs. Fans are eagerly waiting for updates on David Reinbacher and Patrik Laine following their injuries.