The Montreal Canadiens have re-signed forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard to a two-year extension worth $1.1 million a season. The Canadiens are in retool mode and will be looking to make the playoffs, but they won’t be looking to go all-in for a Stanley Cup this season. They were able to lock up their restricted free agent (RFA) Harvey-Pinard to a bridge deal and will still have his RFA rights upon the expiry of his new contract.
Harvey-Pinard was drafted by the Canadiens in the seventh round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft at 201st overall. He played the majority of his junior career in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) with the Rouyn-Noranada Huskies and spent a season with the Chicoutimi Saugeneens. He was the captain of the Huskies for his final season with the team during the 2018-19 season, and was the captain of his new team in the 2019-20 season.
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In 248 games in the QMJHL, Harvey-Pinard scored 110 goals and added 152 assists for 262 points, which comes out to 1.06 points per game. His best season came in his final year with the Huskies, where he scored 40 goals and added 45 assists for 85 points through 66 games, which comes out to 1.29 points per game.
Harvey-Pinard has only played 38 games in the NHL, scoring 15 goals and adding six assists for 21 points, which comes out to 0.55 points per game. He has spent the majority of his professional career in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Laval Rocket, where, through 145 games, he has scored 46 goals and added 61 assists for 107 points.
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He has established himself as a potential future top-six forward in the Canadiens organization, and the team is expecting him to step up in a big way as early as next season. He is a smaller player but uses his speed to his advantage and isn’t afraid to toss his body around if he needs to.
Harvey-Pinard’s Future & Fit With the Canadiens
Harvey-Pinard will play a bottom-six role with the Habs this season, but he will have an opportunity to move up into the top six. He brings some internal competition that will be beneficial to the team’s play as a whole. This contract proves the team views him as a future top-six player in the NHL, so a short-term deal gives him the chance to prove he’s ready.
This contract likely pencils him into the team’s fourth line to start the season. With Mike Hoffman rumored to be on his way out, this gives Harvey-Pinard an opportunity to play a full season with the Canadiens and not be up and down from the minors.
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