Montreal Canadiens: Rafael Harvey-Pinard Signs Terrific Contract

The Montreal Canadiens continue to take care of offseason business. They added some depth to the organization by signing Phillip Maillet and Brady Keeper, and they traded Joel Edmundson to the Washington Capitals to open up a roster spot for a younger defender.

Today, they re-signed promising left winger Rafael Harvey-Pinard to a two-year contract extension. The scrappy forward has proven to be one of the top players on the Laval Rocket in recent years and made a fine first impression at the big league level last season.

The 24 year old got his first real stretch of NHL games when injuries piled up last season and he took full advantage. He scored 14 goals and 20 points in 34 games with the Canadiens and earned that call up after starting the AHL season with 16 goals and 31 points in 40 games.

Harvey-Pinard led the Rocket in scoring the previous season, putting up 21 goals and 56 points in 69 games. He earned the nickname “Lavallagher” for his tenacity and ability to battle much larger opponents and come away with the puck. At 5’9″ and 181 pounds many players on the ice are bigger than him, but it doesn’t stop him from battling in the corners and finding space in front of the net to screen a goalie and knock in a loose puck on a rebound.

His contract comes with a $1.1 million cap hit, and he will earn $1.2 million in 2023-24 and just $1.0 million the following season. He will still be a restricted free agent at that time and one year away from unrestricted free agency so his qualifying offer for the 2025-26 season will be just $1.0 million.

That is a steal of a deal for a player who showed plenty of offensive punch when given a role at the NHL level. He can easily slide into a fourth line role and play the style of game that typically comes with being at the bottom of the lineup, but has enough skill to move up the lineup and be a fine complementary piece for more talented players.

The Canadiens have a plethora of forwards signed for next season, and Harvey-Pinard is one of the few who can be sent back to Laval without passing through waivers first. If the Habs can’t unload a veteran like Mike Hoffman or Rem Pitlick, Harvey-Pinard may have to start the season in the minors, but it would be just to protect other assets and Harvey-Pinard would surely be the first person called up in that situation.

The Saguenay, Quebec native was a seventh round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft and is sure proving to be worthy of an earlier selection.

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