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The Montreal Canadiens suffered another case of bad luck as third-year winger Rafael Harvey-Pinard underwent surgery on July 26. The operation was successful and it repaired a broken leg. Harvey-Pinard will miss four months and is aiming for a return around American Thanksgiving.
For context, Harvey-Pinard was limited to 45 games due to various lower-body injuries during the 2023-24 season, which only adds to the bad luck he’s had while with the Habs.
Pinard finished the regular season with 2 goals and 8 assists for 10 total points while averaging 12:38 of ice time per game.
“Forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard underwent successful surgery on Thursday after suffering a broken leg,” the Habs wrote in the official statement. “The recovery period for the 25-year-old winger is estimated to be four months.”
The Canadiens, however, have several options to fill his spot. Prospects Owen Beck, Filip Mesar, and Joshua Roy could have a chance to crack the rotation and make the opening night roster with Harvey-Pinard out.
Additionally, players like Michael Pezzetta could see more ice time early in the season making up for the winger’s absence.
Harvey-Pinard is expected to be placed on long-term injured reserve, providing some cap relief for the Canadiens while he recovers. His cap hit of $1.1 million won’t count against the Habs cap until he gets re-activated.
Meanwhile, the IR placement will open up roster flexibility, allowing the team to manage the early part of the season without him.
Canadiens’ Havery-Pinard Struggles with Injuries
The Canadiens drafted Harvey-Pinard, 25 years old, with the No. 201 pick of the seventh round in the 2019 NHL draft. Since then, he has steadily progressed through the ranks while getting reps in the QMJHL and the AHL.
During his junior career in the QMJHL, Harvey-Pinard averaged 1.06 points per game over five seasons. In the AHL, he kept up a 0.74 points per game average, leading the Laval Rocket in scoring during the 2021-22 season with 56 points in 69 games.
Harvey-Pinard appeared in only 45 regular-season games with the Habs, scoring 2 goals and adding 8 assists after posting 14 goals, 6 assists, and 20 total points a year earlier appearing in fewer (34) games.
The winger missed a few weeks during the final part of the season. Before that, Harvey-Pinard already missed six weeks with a similar ailment.
Canadiens Offseason Activity Still Developing
The Canadiens had a quiet free agency period in 2024, though it’s clear the franchise is trying to build toward the future more than the present. That makes sense, considering the Habs won only 30 games in 2024 and finished last in their division.
One of the key moves this offseason was signing 2022 No. 1 pick Juraj Slafkovsky to an eight-year, $60.8 million contract extension. He scored 20 goals, assisted 30, and racked up 50 total points in 2024.
“I love Montreal and I feel like we are on a good path,” Slafkovsky told NHL.com on July 2. “I just wanted to be part of it as long as I can.”
Aside from Slafkovsky’s extension, the Canadiens’ only notable addition was signing Alex Barré-Boulet to a one-year, $775,000 contract. He has yet to make his NHL debut.
Having a top selection once again in the 2024 draft, the Canadiens selected Ivan Demidov with the No. 5 overall pick. He will join the likes of David Reinbacher and Lane Hutson in the Habs prospect pipeline.
The Canadiens, however, could still try to add talent to improve their record ahead of next season via trade. One of the most talked-about possibilities is trying to trade for disgruntled veteran winger Patrik Laine of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
A trade proposal in PuckGM has the Canadiens landing Laine in exchange for two prospects and two draft picks outside of the first round.
Marc Dumont of Montreal Hockey Now and Jim Parsons of NHL Trade Talk discussed the potential trade on July 26 following that news and both agreed on Laine’s perfect fit in the Canadiens roster while being available at a reasonable price.
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