Laval – Rafaël Harvey-Pinard is not fooled: even if he has regained his health, his place is not guaranteed in the lineup of the Montreal Canadiens. But there is no need to plan that far ahead, believes the man who will play his first match in more than seven months on Wednesday.
Victim of a broken leg this summer, Harvey-Pinard will make his comeback in the Laval Rocket uniform against the Rochester Americans. The CH loaned him to its American League subsidiary (AHL) for fitness purposes.
“I just want to take it one day at a time right now,” he said after the Rocket’s morning practice.
“Year after year, you have to prove that you have your place in the NHL. So it will be up to me to prove it. […] But I’m not thinking about that yet. It’s tonight’s match that counts. »
This meeting between Laval and Rochester is an opportunity for Harvey-Pinard to help his team obtain a 13th victory in 15 games, but it is above all a barometer after a long absence.
« [Le principal défi] will be to find my way of playing, he indicated. I am someone who plays with intensity on both ends of the ice. It takes a lot of energy and is difficult to reproduce in training. You have to play matches to find that form again, then to find the timing passes and throws under pressure. »
In order to allow him to find his bearings as soon as possible, the head coach of the Rocket, Pascal Vincent, has decided to copy the role he has had with the Habs in recent seasons with the one he will have in the coming days. in the AHL. It is within the third trio and the first wave of numerical inferiority that he will have the opportunity to showcase himself on Wednesday.
“We are here to help Canadians. This visit to Laval is a way of helping them, said Vincent. We will give ice time to Rafael in a role he will play with the Canadiens. It would be easy to play him on an offensive line and on the power play here, but in Montreal, he is more likely to play shorthanded even if he can create offense. »
And he is not the main person who will complain about this more modest role within a team of which he has already been, from 2020 to 2022, one of the big stars.
“I always liked playing shorthanded. The feeling of blocking a shot or managing to clear the puck… When you come to the bench, the guys are happy. »
Harvey-Pinard could not hide his joy, whatever role he will be given, to play his first match since April 16. The road has been long, he confided. From the press gallery, he witnessed the difficult start to the season for the Canadians (7-10-2), eighth in the Atlantic Division standings as the quarter of the season approached.
“When things are going well, you want to be there to enjoy the victories, to have fun with the guys on the ice, and when things are not going well, you would like to bring your touch to the team, try to participate in the success of the team. “team,” he submitted.
“I’m just happy to be able to play again. It’s been so long! It feels good to be in a locker room, to be on the ice with all the guys at the same time and to finally be able to play a game. »
In the Rocket entourage, the arrival of “RHP” was very well received. Already, his enthusiasm is felt by his teammates.
“He is very good with the puck, he works a lot and he already brings a lot of energy to the team,” praised forward Joshua Roy. With the CH, he had a lot of success and I’m not worried that he will have it here too, again. »
Harvey-Pinard’s loan from the Canadiens to the Rocket is for a maximum period of 14 days, as stipulated in the collective agreement. He should therefore be back with the CH by the start of the team’s five-game stretch at the Bell Center, from December 3 to 12.
