NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Samuel Girard

Get to Know Samuel Girard

Date of Birth: May 12, 1998 (18)
Place of Birth: Roberval, QC, CAN
Ht: 5’10” Wt: 165lbs
Shoots: Left
Position: Defense
Team: Shawinigan (QMJHL)

Statistics

What Scouts See

The Draft Analyst
Scouts long have projected pro-level playmaking abilities, and Girard hasn’t let them down, leading rushes up the ice with speed and decisiveness. He has very good first-step quickness and excellent top-end speed. He has above-average balance for a defenseman listed at 5’10, owning a good, strong stride. His lateral movement is excellent, using a strong lower body to cover ground in a hurry if a play expands the ice on the periphery.Girard’s bread and butter, however, is playmaking. He’s an exceptional puck distributor with a soft set of hands, using them to corral hard or inaccurate passes.

Ryan Kennedy, The Hockey News
An excellent offensive defenseman who uses his smarts to get around the ice, Girard ended the regular season en fuego, with seven points in his last two games. Defensive play is a concern, but his escapability is uncanny when he has the puck.

Samuel Girard, Elite Prospects
A flashy offensive defenceman that takes advantage of opportunities and is always looking to make an impact each shift. Works very hard and isn’t afraid to play the body. Skates with exceptional exuberance and fluidity. Accurate release on his shot and a good eye for open passing lanes. Proactive defensively and puts the pressure on the opposition. Needs to have a more active stick and a more felt presence in shooting lanes, but he has shown a willingness to learn, and these skills will develop.

Future Considerations
This puck moving defenseman is tiny but has a very strong lower body and makes up for it with incredible smarts and intelligence. He reads the developing play and makes adjustments constantly – something unusual for a young prospect to do consistently. He is also an elite level skater with impressive speed and strong all-encompassing mobility; able to turn and change directions quickly. Has tremendous puck skills and vision, making skilled passes to spring his forwards on the attack.

What BSN Avalanche sees

Girard is an intelligent, puck-moving defenseman with superb skating ability. His on-ice vision is top notch, and he easily finds the open man for a clean exit out of the zone. His passing is accurate and crisp. Because of his heads-up play, he seems to be one step ahead of the play, allowing him to be patient and slow down the game. A regular on the first power play unit, Girard provides an offensive blueline presence that can generate goals with a shot that can weave through traffic or set them up with tape-to-tape cross-ice passes.

His size is definitely working against him, but he’s deceptively strong on his skates and uses his puck handling skills and lateral maneuverability to evade opponents.

Highlights

NHL Potential

There’s no doubt that Girard has an NHL ceiling. He’s made in the mold of offensive defensemen like Tyson Barrie and Kevin Shattenkirk. Their skills are highly coveted for the offense they provide. Girard actually has a more solid defensive game than either Barrie or Shattenkirk had at this age, but only experience in the big leagues will determine if his intelligence and strength will put him in the top four on an NHL squad.

Expected Draft Position

Girard’s talent will certainly have him on the radar for many teams and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him selected late in the first round. However, size is highly valued in the NHL, and Girard doesn’t project to have much of that even after he’s fully developed. A high- to mid-second round selection is more likely. The scouts put him between 23rd overall (Corey Pronman of ESPN) and 38th (Central Scouting).

How Samuel Girard Fits in Avalanche Organization

Five years ago, Girard would be topping the lists at the Avalanche Draft HQ, but with the new regime has come a preference for bigger players who are physically hard to play against. While Girard’s offensive talent might bring him a solid NHL career, it most likely won’t be in Colorado unless he falls dramatically on the draft board for a third round steal.