The name Rafaël Harvey-Pinard has been on everyone’s lips in Quebec since Saturday evening. His accomplishments come as no surprise to those who met him at various stages of his National Hockey League (NHL) journey.
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Harvey-Pinard was drafted by the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in 2015 in the eighth round, 130th overall. For the Abitibi team, it was a choice that was clear from the first recruitment meetings.
“From the first meeting, Harvey-Pinard’s election was set in stone. We wanted it, said Gilles Bouchard, who was the Huskies’ general manager at the time.
“Daniel Paradis, my deputy general manager, told us not to miss it.”
Then Paradis added a phrase that had shaped everyone at the table in the weeks leading up to the draft.
“He told us, ‘You should never bet against Rafaël Harvey-Pinard because you’re going to lose,'” said Bouchard, who is now an assistant to Syracuse in the American League. We had spied on him during the various tournaments.
“He had an average speed. You had to watch him closely to notice all the good things he was doing on the rink.”
Photo Agency QMI, John Morris
High expectations
Then, as expected, the Huskies pick Harvey-Pinard in the draft.
“Our pick in the eighth round was for him. It was decided. He’s been our main draft pick since November.
“I remember our recruiting director saying to the media, ‘Harvey-Pinard, he’s an eight-round pick, but he’s going to give us some like a first-round pick or a second-round pick.’ Our expectations were high because we knew what he could do on the ice.
“He acted like a first-round pick during his four years in the QMJHL.”
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A captain at heart
Another manager who has fond memories of Harvey-Pinard is Mario Pouliot. Together they won the Memorial Cup with the Huskies in 2019.
“My first decision when I arrived in Rouyn, and I think it was my best one, was to appoint him captain,” said Pouliot. He represented exactly what I wanted my club to play.
“He’s a hard working guy who’s always in a good mood. He was my sunshine every day. When I was having bad days, I would look at him and tell myself that everything would be fine!
The striker was the Huskies’ metronome. He could carry his team on his shoulders.
“It was he who surpassed the measure of our team,” said Pouliot. When we had lows, he went out and got substituted. He wasn’t the one to throw the big punches, but he never let up. He’s like the Energizer Bunny.”
Pouliot now leads the Bonnyville Pontiacs in the Alberta Junior A League. The recent successes of “RHP” have resonated across Canada.
“Everyone here knows I coached Harvey-Pinard. People ask me questions to find out how he’s doing. My assistant told me that he scored three goals on Saturday. I texted him to congratulate him.
Before being drafted by the Canadian, Harvey-Pinard had received an invite to Vegas Golden Knights rookie camp. He had found himself in the same vein as a certain Nick Suzuki.