Rafaël Harvey-Pinard did not qualify for the Canadiens.
He finally became an unrestricted free agent and decided to join the Pittsburgh Penguins. It’s a good decision for the forward, as there’s less depth at forward than before, and he’ll have a much better chance of becoming an NHL regular.
That said, he wanted to stay in North America, where several teams were interested in his services. We learn this in a text by Roby St-Gelais on the Radio-Canada Sports website.
Rafaël Harvey-Pinard ready for his new challenge with the Penguins https://t.co/m5aPtxWyQZ
– Radio-Canada Sports (@RC_Sports) July 10, 2025
Pittsburgh had good things to say about RHP, and the love was mutual.
The man who knew his time in Montreal was coming to an end can’t wait to start practicing with legends like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
I’m excited to have a fresh start on a new foundation. There are players like Sidney Crosby who I watched growing up, and now I’ll be able to watch him from the rink. – Rafaël Harvey-Pinard
The Québécois, who signed a one-year contract worth $775,000, will spend most of the summer in Québec, but will soon head to Pittsburgh to familiarize himself with the facilities and environment of the Pennsylvania Penguins.
In an interview with Radio-Canada, RHP also opened up about the mysterious injury that caused him to miss the start of last season. Until today, we knew it was a leg injury sustained during a charity event. In his interview, he confessed that, during a softball game, one of his friends ran into his leg in the field.
I got hit in the side of the leg by one of my friends and the leg gave out, let’s say, it was a pretty tough moment with four months off. You never know when it’s going to happen and when it does, you’re disappointed. – RHP
Injuries have really slowed him down in recent years. It’s a shame, because in 2022-2023, he finished the season with 20 points in 34 games.
– I hope so.
McGuire: I think Guhle will go to another level https://t.co/dN3Gkjylu7
– TSN 690 Montreal (@TSN690) July 10, 2025
– Absolument.
Should David Reinbacher be considered an “untouchable” player?
Pierre McGuire: “I’d have him as a core player that I want with my organization… Reinbacher is a really important player “#GoHabsGo #thesickpodcast @TonyMarinaro pic.twitter.com/jvByeNTXbW
– The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro (@thesickpodcasts) July 10, 2025
– Read more.
Isaac Howard bets on himself by forcing a trade to the Edmonton Oilers, but it comes with a catch, says Adam Proteau: https://t.co/hJc5gVR4ya
– The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) July 10, 2025
– Nearly a billion for three players.
The reigning NBA champions are big spenders this summer.
pic.twitter.com/sFghmawaT3
– Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 10, 2025
– Toronto has some nice depth.
Jays heroes coming out of the shadows…https://t.co/Foo0Xz9JhY
– RDS (@RDSca) July 10, 2025
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