The Canadiens may have unearthed a new Rafaël Harvey-Pinard, and it could be beneficial

PUBLICATION

Elias Edmonson
June 1, 2023 (9:05)

SHARE THIS STORY

The Montreal Canadiens made a very interesting move in the last draft when Kent Hughes and his team decided to select an overager, meaning a player who wasn't in his first year of eligibility for being drafted into the NHL.

In the fifth round, with their 130th pick, the Tricolore chose Jared Davidson, a versatile center player who plays in the WHL for the Seattle Thunderbirds.

At the time, he was 19 years old and had just completed an excellent season of 42 goals and 89 points in 64 games. He was the highest scorer of his team in the regular season, as well as in the playoffs, with 29 points, including 13 goals, in 25 games.

Again this year, even though he plays in a very well-off team, Davidson is still doing very well and gets significant minutes from his coach. He finished the campaign with 82 points, including 38 goals in 60 games, and he added 23 points in 19 playoff games.

In addition to being an effective center on the 200 feet of the rink, he is dominant in face-offs, and he knows how to make his mark in big moments. While playing an important game for the qualification for the Memorial Cup semi-final yesterday, the Canadiens' prospect ended the match with the winning goal, and also added two assists.

His head coach in Seattle, Matt O'Dette, cannot say enough good things about him, saying:

"He's one of our best players and one of our biggest leaders. He's a big part of our team. He scored 42 goals at 19 and added nearly 40 this season. He was an excellent choice by the Montreal Canadiens. He can score and be effective in all aspects of the game. He plays with grit and enjoys physical play. He's the perfect playoff player prototype."

Technically, the Canadiens have until June 1, 2024, before losing their rights to free agents, but it seems increasingly certain that his future is within the organization.

Will he play in Laval or Trois-Rivières next year? No one knows at the moment.

However, the game plan seems quite clear with him. Kent Hughes is likely to take advantage of his additional year before having to make a decision on his case. He may grant him an AHL contract, which would allow him to play in their affiliates to evaluate his performance, without counting a contract in the league's 50 contract limit.

Thus, at the end of the next season, if his performances have earned him an entry-level contract in the National Hockey League, he could agree with the club for a true two-way contract.

One thing seems certain, and that is that Davidson has the potential and determination in his game to repeat the feats of a Rafaël Harvey-Pinard.

Credit: DansLesCoulisses.com