The Laval Rocket announced on Friday that they have come to terms with former seventh-round pick Rafael Harvey-Pinard to a one-year, one-way contract.
Harvey-Pinard is coming off a 78 point season with Chicoutimi of the QMJHL after spending three years with Rouyn-Noranda prior to the 2019-2020 season. He isn’t a dominant scoring force, but he brings a lot of qualities that often translate to the pro leagues.
The five-foot-nine winger is regarded as one of the most hard working players of the whole QMJHL and what he lacks in height, he brings in continuous hard work where he excels in forechecking, defensive play and creating energy. He has a non-stop motor that often puts him in high danger situations where he can create scoring chances.
His continuous movement on the ice is what has him involved in every play, whether on defence or while working offensively. He likes to be involved in plays which shows his confidence in his abilities and he often spreads to his linemates and team in general.
He’s also produced well in the playoffs where in the last two years, he scored 35 points while managing to do so in 27 games. 27 of those points were in last year’s run to the Memorial Cup where he and the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies ended up victorious with a win over Halifax.
Moreover, he is a top tier leader and captained both the Huskies and Sagueneens over the last two seasons. He shows his character both on and off the ice and it’s a reason why he is respected by his peers. Even though he might not have a letter on his jersey, head coach Joel Bouchard will count on Pinard to take some added responsibilities.
Now that Pinard has signed, he can continue to work on his strength and conditioning as the AHL is a much tougher league with bigger and stronger opposition. I have no doubt that he will prepare himself as he prides himself on hard work and is a dedicated person in general. His talents may be a bit limited, but his drive certainly has no limits.