Our Alumni | A new journey for Samuel Harvey
Even though he’s only 25 years old, goaltender Samuel Harvey has already traveled a lot in the hockey world.
A second-round pick of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in 2014, Harvey enjoyed a brilliant junior career before embarking on his university and then professional hockey journey.
“I loved my time in Rouyn-Noranda. It was a real learning experience for me, both in terms of discipline and maturity,” he says. “I arrived there at 16 as a teenager and left at 20 as a man. The identity and DNA of the Huskies are really ingrained in me.”
Here, he refers to notions like hard work, professionalism, and the importance of always giving your best.
“These are qualities that still serve me well today, in my career and in all spheres of my life.”
After five seasons with the Huskies, the Alma, QC native headed for the Maritimes. However. his stint at the university level, with the University of New Brunswick Reds, based in Fredericton, was short-lived.
Since he had classes that were already credited, he was able to complete his bachelor’s degree in just two years. And since his stop in New Brunswick fell right in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, he was only able to play 16 games over two seasons with the Reds.
Fortunately for Harvey, an offer from the San Jose Barracuda (in the American Hockey League) came just at the right time in his career, in 2020.
“When the chance to play in the AHL came up, I couldn’t turn it down. There weren’t many guys who had the chance to play hockey at the time. What helped even more is that I could take long-distance courses to finish my bachelor’s degree,” he says.
“[The Barracuda] is a good organization that treats its players really well. It was a great place to take my first steps in the world of professional hockey.”
In California, he also reconnected with his former Huskies goaltending coach, Dany Sabourin. However, the following campaign, Harvey was demoted to the Fort Wayne Komets in the ECHL, and it was then that he decided to change continent for the 2022-23 season.
“I didn’t believe I had the offers I deserved in America. I wanted to play in leagues that would allow me to develop. I quickly realized that I was going to have to go out and prove myself, and show what I could do.”
The goalkeeper signed a one-season deal with HC Bolzano, an Italian-based team in the Austrian Elite League, which included a number of Canadian players.
“That’s why I chose Austria, which is a league with a lot of international players. It’s a pretty strong circuit,” he admits.
There, he adapted quickly. Harvey concluded the regular season with a sparkling 28-6-0 record to go along with his 2.06 goals-against average and .922% save percentage. His success also extended into the playoffs.
“We made it all the way to the final, and the hockey fans were really behind us. It was truly an unforgettable year for me and my wife,” he recalls.
Following his brilliant performances, it was an offer from Finland, with the Rauman Lukko club to be precise, that changed the couple’s plans last summer.
The fact that the Finnish circuit is one of the best in Europe was obviously a factor in Harvey’s decision to leave Italy. But with his wife also due to give birth to their first child in November, the excellence of the Finnish healthcare system also weighed heavily in the balance.
“The timing was perfect to graduate to such a strong league and get the chance to prove myself. For us, it was a case of killing two birds with one stone,” says the goalkeeper. “Finnish players are known around the world for their strong work ethic, speed and relentlessness. It really shows in the level of play of the entire league. The players are all good, they skate a lot and are really intense.”
With the little family about to grow, the couple don’t want to look too far ahead as to the young man’s future between the pipes.
“The goal is always to play in the best league. And so, we’ll see what comes my way. For now, we love our little life in Finland,” he admits. “We really like the European way of life. It’s perfect for raising kids and having great family experiences. If I could play here for a few more years, I’d be super happy! ”
Even so, Samuel Harvey hasn’t completely ruled out a possible return to America.
“It would take a really good offer, but the door remains open. Playing in the NHL is every young boy’s dream!”
