Rafael Harvey-Pinard had surgery for a broken leg and will be out for four months.
This is a blow to him since he was already dealing with many injuries last season. He only played 45 games, scoring two goals and eight assists. This was way less than his performance in the 2022-23 season when he scored 14 goals in just 34 games after being called up from AHL Laval.
Harvey-Pinard, who was picked by the Canadiens in the seventh round back in 2019, has been climbing up the ranks ever since. He’s always been a good scorer, averaging over a point per game during his junior years in QMJHL. In Laval, he averaged 0.74 points per game over three seasons and led the team in scoring during the 2021-22 season with 56 points.
Montreal’s Left Wing Depth:
Montreal’s left wing lineup is uncertain as they head into the new season. Juraj Slafkovsky will be on the first line with Cole Caufield and captain Nick Suzuki. Harvey-Pinard had a chance to secure a second-line spot if he had a strong preseason. Now, he’ll have to fight for his place again once he’s back from injury around late November.
Since he’ll miss more than ten games and over three weeks at the start of the season, Harvey-Pinard might go on long-term injured reserve (LTIR). This means players like Michael Pezzetta could get more ice time early on . Prospects Owen Beck, Filip Mesar, and Joshua Roy might also have better chances of making it to opening night.
Fans may feel sad about this news because they were excited to see Harvey-Pinard play again soon.
The injury is unfortunate but gives other players an opportunity to shine while he’s recovering. What do you think about this situation?
