Montreal Canadiens Depth Forward Reportedly Suffers Lower-Body Injury

Rafael Harvey-Pinard didn't have much injury luck last season. He injured his lower body early in the season, which caused him to miss some time. Then, he had a right leg injury which put him on the shelf for 4-6 weeks. Harvey-Pinard returned earlier than expected, but the concerns with his injury history were front of mind for Canadiens fans and the front office.

Toursurelehockey.com reported that Harvey-Pinard will miss a big chunk of his offseason training due to another lower-body injury he suffered at a sporting event comprised of former Laval Rocket and Canadiens players. The rumor is that Harvey-Pinard's injury is to the same leg from last season, and it will keep him out of action for at least a few weeks.

The injury couldn't come at a worse time for Harvey-Pinard, as he had a considerably weaker season after breaking onto the scene in 2022-23. Harvey-Pinard is likely feeling the heat from players below him on the depth chart, and good training camps from players like Joshua Roy and Owen Beck could send RHP out of the lineup.

RHP had 20 points in 34 games with the Canadiens in 2022-23. He earned the call-up after recording 31 points in 40 games with Laval. He took a spot on the fourth line for most of 2023-24 and tallied just two goals and eight assists over 45 games.

The struggles didn't mean he couldn't correct them this upcoming season. He had 107 points in 145 AHL games, so the offensive talent and production are there for RHP. However, he needed a good training camp to show he deserved to be more than a fourth-liner.

The alleged injury won't prepare him for training camp if he can participate. The Saguenay, Quebec product must find a way to cement his spot on the roster. The Canadiens haven't confirmed the injury, but fans will wait on bated breath to see how serious it is.