Rafaël Harvey-Pinard’s tale continued earlier this week as he put his name under a contract that secured him an NHL salary for the next two seasons.
Back from holidays in hot countries, Arvida proudly looked back on another important milestone in his career.
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“It’s a little guy’s dream. “One of my goals was to sign a one-way contract with the Canadiens,” Harvey-Pinard said. Getting two years was important to me because it gives me two years to prove that I have my place as a regular in the NHL.
If we’re talking about a fairy tale, it’s that the 24-year-old forward wasn’t given many chances to carve out a position on the team on the day the Habs picked him in the seventh round of the 2019 draft.
“I am proud of the process that has brought me this far. I’ve always worked hard and that’s a great reward,” he said.
In fact, thanks to hard work, Harvey-Pinard rose in the rankings. Until last winter, in the second half of the season, he became one of the most electrifying players in the Habs. In 34 games, he scored 20 points and hit the target 14 times.
In addition, since his recall on January 17, none of his teammates have hit the target that often. Nick Suzuki and Josh Anderson followed him with 10 goals each.
explosion and speed
Harvey-Pinard won’t come into camp feeling like he’s starting from scratch. Still, he’ll have to prove himself given the rush of attackers in the Canadiens’ ranks.
“There will be competition at camp,” he admitted. But I’ll focus on what I can do. I’m capable of playing in the NHL and it will be up to me to show that I can get past the other forwards. I’ve worked my whole life to show others that I belong, and that’s not going to change.
The fact that his name doesn’t have to appear on waivers in the event of an American League sacking may be a slight disadvantage in his case. But again, his intention to “control this” remains. [qu’il peut] Control”.
“I will show up at camp and do my best. It’s up to me to play the same way I did the last three or four months of the season, trying both ways of the ice and making my chances to score,” he said.
To be ready, Harvey-Pinard added power skating sessions to his summer routine. Advice Martin St-Louis had given him during their end-of-season meeting, but which he had already considered.
The saguenéen therefore jumps onto the surface of the Center of Excellence in Boisbriand several times a week, accompanied by Nathaniel Marx, an expert in the field. The renowned trainer’s clients include Kristopher Letang, Marco Scandella, Anthony Beauvillier and Joe Veleno.
“I want to add a touch of speed and an explosive start to my game. I want to get to camp as soon as possible,” said Harvey-Pinard.
As he tries to carve out a position in a formation whose style is heavily geared towards speed, we can only congratulate his initiative.
Watch his press conference in the main video.