Training camp is rapidly approaching, and the Blue Jackets have a roster that looks to be mostly set. There may only be one or two jobs obviously up for grabs, so if a prospect wants to win a job, they may have to beat out a veteran. In the case of Guillaume Richard, we believe that is possible.
We think Richard has a chance to crack the opening night lineup in big part because of the way he plays. He is exactly what the Blue Jackets have needed for several years, ever since trading away Vladislav Gavrikov: he's a shutdown defenseman. And he looks like a real good one.
Nabbed by the Blue Jackets in the fourth round (#101 overall) all the way back at the 2021 NHL Draft, Guillaume spent four seasons with Providence College (NCAA). In 139 games, he posted a modest 9-45-54 stat line, adding 73 penalty minutes and a +24 rating.
Last year, Guillaume played his first professional season with the Cleveland Monsters, and he was nothing short of reliable. He played in 70 games, scoring 7 goals and 18 points, adding 20 penalty minutes and a team-leading +20 rating.
For a player who wasn't that productive offensively, a +20 rating should grab your attention, even if that isn't considered the be-all stat for measuring two-way play that it once was. Trust me on this one: this isn't a stroke of luck. This guy can play defense at a high level.
Richard is a highly mobile defender with a very good defensive IQ. He takes smart angles and quickly closes gaps on his opponents, using his stick to take away their options. He isn't physically punishing, but he uses his body well to ward off the opposition, taking the puck away from them and canceling out their attack.
In all, he's a polished defender who doesn't bring a ton of offense; but he's also not completely lost with the puck. He doesn't take many chances, but that's not from a lack of skill. His skating and overall smarts make him a competent player here, as well.
Think of players like Gavrikov, Jaccob Slavin, or Gustav Forsling. These guys are criminally underrated around the league, but simply go out and get the job done on a shift by shift basis. While I'm not sure Richard will achieve that level of success, that's the style of player we have here.
At 6'2" and over 185 pounds, Guillaume has the frame to be an NHL player; though I would argue that adding 10-15 pounds of muscle would better suit him. We will see if he comes to camp with some added weight.
Aside from that, I think that he is ready for a role on the third defense pairing for the Blue Jackets. With seven defensemen returning from last season, the odds are stacked against him. But, he will likely have his most recent head coach advocating for him, and I don't think that's a small thing.
With Rick Bowness obviously not trusting Jake Christiansen down the stretch last year, I don't think it's beyond the realm of possibility that Richard could beat him out for the #7 job this fall. He fills a greater need for the Blue Jackets.
This is one of the battles that we should pay close attention to as prospect camp and then the main training camp get under way in the next couple of weeks. We are rooting for Guillaume Richard here at Union and Blue.
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