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It feels like the end for Rafaël Harvey-Pinard in the Habs organization
Félix Forget
It feels like the end for Rafaël Harvey-Pinard in the Habs organization
Credit: Getty Images
two years ago, Rafaël Harvey-Pinard was racking up points at an incredible rate in the Canadiens organization. After a great first half of the season in Laval, he was called back to finish the year in Montreal… and he played some great hockey.

14 goals and 20 points in 34 games, that’s quite a resume for a guy who came out of nowhere.

RHP signed a two-year contract at the end of the 2022-23 season… but he was unable to recreate his magic thereafter. Injuries seriously slowed him down, and even this year, he didn’t have a great year in Laval.

Five goals and 19 points in 40 AHL regular-season games is a far cry from what he’s been able to offer the Habs in the past.

All of which begs the question: does RHP have a future in the Canadiens organization? And as Vincent Duquette(TVA Sports) noted in a piece last night, it’s a safe bet that the Québécois’ time with the Montreal organization is coming to an end.

Harvey-Pinard will become a restricted free agent on July 1… but the Habs must submit a qualifying offer by June 30 if they wish to retain his services. The offer would be $1 million for one year.

That said, at 26, it seems pretty hard to see a world in which Harvey-Pinard becomes a factor again with the Canadiens eventually. It’s logical to think that the Habs won’t take advantage of this option, because there’s a limit to the number of contracts a team can have on its books.

Using one of your 50 contracts for a player who doesn’t really have a future with your organization, and who is unlikely to be a real option for a recall (even if he did play a game in Montreal this year), isn’t optimal management.

You might think that the Habs could bring him back next year by signing him to an AHL contract… but you have to wonder if that’s something that would really interest the Québécois. More importantly, would it really interest the Canadiens, who already have some good veterans under contract in Laval and will want to keep room for the youngsters.

If not, there’s always the option of Europe for Harvey-Pinard… but in any case, another NHL contract with the Habs seems unlikely for the Québécois this summer. It’s a shame, because he showed great promise two years ago, but things change quickly in the world of sports.


Overtime

– The salary cap could rise even higher than expected in the next few years.

– It’s understandable.

– Nothing less.

– Interesting.

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