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Montreal Canadiens Harvey-Pinard Playing for Full-Time Position

By Richard Jelinek

MONTREAL, CANADA - JANUARY 31: Rafael Harvey-Pinard #49 of the Montreal Canadiens skates during the second period against the Ottawa Senators at Centre Bell on January 31, 2023 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Ottawa Senators defeated the Montreal Canadiens 5-4. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, CANADA - JANUARY 31: Rafael Harvey-Pinard #49 of the Montreal Canadiens skates during the second period against the Ottawa Senators at Centre Bell on January 31, 2023 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Ottawa Senators defeated the Montreal Canadiens 5-4. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
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The 2022/23 season for the Montreal Canadiens has not gone well, from injuries to the overall play. The Canadiens are far from a wild card spot and, for the most part, players are playing for jobs next season.  Canadiens forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard is making the most of his opportunity in his limited time, hoping to play onto the 2023-24 roster full-time.

Harvey-Pinard has played well in his limited amount of games. Played so well that one has to wonder if he is going to be a full-time Canadiens player next season. After all, he is playing like an NHL veteran already. Harvey-Pinard is skilled offensively, has a solid defensive game, and is always a step ahead in all three zones. With the Canadiens likely going to rebuild, Harvey-Pinard is one of the young players that they can certainly build around.

Montreal Canadiens’ Harvey-Pinard making the most of his opportunity

Harvey-Pinard was the Montreal Canadiens’ seventh-round pick (201st overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft. The 24-year-old from Saguenay, Quebec, Canada started the 2022-23 season with the Canadiens AHL team, the Laval Rocket. While playing for Laval, Harvey-Pinard posted 15 goals and 10 assists for 25 points in 37 games, to go along with 20 penalty minutes. This season for the Canadiens, Harvey-Pinard has posted seven goals and four assists for 11 points in 15 games. For his short NHL career, he has eight goals and four assists for 12 points in 19 NHL games. In his last five games, he has one goal and two assists for three points, three hits, nine blocked shots, and one power-play goal.

Montreal is last in the Metropolitan Division with a record of 21-27-4 for 46 points. The team is in need of an overhaul in terms of roster and they need just about everything. Harvey-Pinard should be one less worry for the future as he looks like a solid NHL player that could be impactful if he is indeed on the roster full-time next season. With Montreal lacking scoring threats, he could be one of the young stars to fill that void immediately.

He will not lead the league in scoring but he will be a threat every time he steps on the ice. As one can see by his stats, he is offensively productive, he can block shots, and even play in special teams situations. At 24 years old, he has a long NHL career ahead of him and one that mirrors a less physical Brendan Gallagher.

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