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LD Samuel Girard (2016, 47th, NSH; traded to COL)

Mark Kandy

Mark Kandy

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Jul 22, 2014
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hoc123 said:
An interesting prospect I haven't heard about for the draft. Great rookie year but is only 5"9 and 154 poinds. Where is he projected right now?

Stats

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=251476
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I live in a city 20 minutes away from Shawinigan where he played last season and where he'll play next year (with Anthony Beauvilier and Dennis Yan) so I've seen him play live quite a few times.

The kid has amazing skills, good puck-moving defenseman, rrrrreally good on the powerplay as well, huge offensive upsides.

He'll definitely need to improve a lot in his own zone, but he is young and have time to become better in this area. He is not very physical, and definitely need to gain weight and height.

But still, huuuuuuuuuuuge offensive upside. With the puck he's a beast. Without the puck, well... it's a whole different story but he is still young and has time to improve this aspect to become eventually a decent NHLer.

43 points in 64 games with a +15 differential as a 16 year old defenseman in the Q, it ain't nothing.

Can't wait to see him play again next year and I'll be able to keep the board in touch with his performances and improvements.

Right now, I'd consider him as a early to mid 2nd round pick due to his size.
 
scoutman1

scoutman1

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Mark Kandy said:
I live in a city 20 minutes away from Shawinigan where he played last season and where he'll play next year (with Anthony Beauvilier and Dennis Yan) so I've seen him play live quite a few times.

The kid has amazing skills, good puck-moving defenseman, rrrrreally good on the powerplay as well, huge offensive upsides.

He'll definitely need to improve a lot in his own zone, but he is young and have time to become better in this area. He is not very physical, and definitely need to gain weight and height.

But still, huuuuuuuuuuuge offensive upside. With the puck he's a beast. Without the puck, well... it's a whole different story but he is still young and has time to improve this aspect to become eventually a decent NHLer.

43 points in 64 games with a +15 differential as a 16 year old defenseman in the Q, it ain't nothing.

Can't wait to see him play again next year and I'll be able to keep the board in touch with his performances and improvements.

Right now, I'd consider him as a early to mid 2nd round pick due to his size.
Click to expand...

2nd round, I dont think so....the height will play too much of a factor for him to go that high...IMO 4th round.
 

thething

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Jul 28, 2014
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Is it unlikely that he'll grow?

If he is 5'10/11 he could go in the top 2 rounds with his talent.
 

Plastic Joseph

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Mar 21, 2014
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Kid is skilled as they come but with his size he's looking like he will be a poor mans Ryan Ellis.
 

reffree

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Plastic Joseph said:
Kid is skilled as they come but with his size he's looking like he will be a poor mans Ryan Ellis.
Click to expand...

I would say he is a mix of Ellis and Murphy. They all have two amazing asset and lacking in the 3rd one.

Ellis: IQ + Shot but average to below average skating
Murphy Shot + Skating but average to below average IQ
Girard Skating + IQ but average to below average shot

I like how he dosen't try to do too much by himself even with is great skating. He's sound positionnally and doesn't run everywhere, but right now he is lacking heigt AND weight and it affect his ability to defend.
 
Number 57

Number 57

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scoutman1 said:
2nd round, I dont think so....the height will play too much of a factor for him to go that high...IMO 4th round.
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The kid is 16. I really hate how people think young players don't grow. He could be 5'10 or 5'11 by the time next season starts. Of course, he'll need to put up more pounds.

His offensive skills are off the charts. He has the skillset of a 1st overall pick. His vision, hockey IQ, skating, agility and passing are pitch perfect. He's a gem.
 

Plastic Joseph

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Mar 21, 2014
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reffree said:
I would say he is a mix of Ellis and Murphy. They all have two amazing asset and lacking in the 3rd one.

Ellis: IQ + Shot but average to below average skating
Murphy Shot + Skating but average to below average IQ
Girard Skating + IQ but average to below average shot

I like how he dosen't try to do too much by himself even with is great skating. He's sound positionnally and doesn't run everywhere, but right now he is lacking heigt AND weight and it affect his ability to defend.
Click to expand...

That's something I've noticed too with his positioning and not trying to do too much. Sometimes you'll see him turn on the jets and make a rush but most of the time its the simple plays. Could definitely have had more points if he wasn't concerned with playing sound, positional defensive hockey.

We're going to see him put up a lot of points this year I think.
 
Patmac40

Patmac40

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He's dynamic for sure. Really excited to see how he progresses over the next year. He compares very favorably to Mitch Vande Sompel in this year's draft. If he grows a touch, he's a surefire second rounder.
 

thething

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Jul 28, 2014
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Mark Kandy said:
Ryan Ellis is a good NHL comparable but his ceiling his waaaaaaay higher.
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Are you saying Girard's ceiling is way higher?

Perhaps with foresight of what Ellis has become (though he's still young and I don't think he has reached his potential yet), but at the same age Ellis was definitely the better prospect.
 

reffree

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thething said:
Are you saying Girard's ceiling is way higher?

Perhaps with foresight of what Ellis has become (though he's still young and I don't think he has reached his potential yet), but at the same age Ellis was definitely the better prospect.
Click to expand...

Ellis was amazing, but for the NHL he was small and slow, I rememberd the TSN hype, but that's a bad combination to have a successful NHL career.

If he was 6ft tall Girard would be in the discussion to be a top 5 pick next year imo.
 

reffree

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Plastic Joseph said:
That's something I've noticed too with his positioning and not trying to do too much. Sometimes you'll see him turn on the jets and make a rush but most of the time its the simple plays. Could definitely have had more points if he wasn't concerned with playing sound, positional defensive hockey.

We're going to see him put up a lot of points this year I think.
Click to expand...

Agree, he has the ability to produce in junior hockey by agressively using his skating/hands and by taking alot of chances, but he only use those ability "at time". Alot of those offensive D-men in junior are playing more or less like a 4th foward and will have to settle down to play pro, he is allready playing like a pro. Great, great IQ.

Edit: I'll just give an exemple of what I say about the way you produce using the 2011 draft. Hamilton, Beaulieu and Morrow were 3 pretty good offensive defensemen in junior. Morrow and Beaulieu were using their physical gift alot, were rushing the puck alot and played more carlessly for defensem. Hamilton was "owning" the puck alot less. Wasn't as spectacular and was seen as less skill (but better defensively + height). When they turned pro, Beaulieu and Morrow had to change their game and stop those careless rushes. Both had to change the way they could produce pts, both struggle to do it, while Hamilton just continue to play is "simplier" game in the pro and just continue to produce pts the same way he was doing in junior, not overusing is physical ability.

That's what I'm saying about Girard, in junior he could produce more offense by overusing his physical tool (just his skating alone would be enough) but he is playing more of a pro game than a flashy junior game.
 
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Plastic Joseph

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I hope all of this "1st overall skillset" talk doesn't overrate him, because he certainly does not have that. Even if he was 5'11 or 6' he is still not a 1st overall pick, maybe top 10.

He could be a first round pick if he grows a bit and continues to develop however.
 
Number 57

Number 57

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thething said:
but at the same age Ellis was definitely the better prospect.
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Well in Ellis' rookie season he did put up 20 more points than Girard but he was playing on a slightly better squad. He played with 4 forwards who put up more than 60 pts, whereas Girard only played with two. Bailey had 96 pts and Beauvillier had 94 pts, so they are comparable.

Girard' skating alone makes him a much better prospect than Ellis ever was, especially considering the importance of this ability in today's NHL. You can compare Girard to someone like Tyson Barrie or TJ Brodie.

Ellis had 89 pts in his 2nd year. I doubt Girard scores that much, but I could see him scoring around 70. Points arn't telling the whole story, though.
 

Plastic Joseph

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#57 said:
Well in Ellis' rookie season he did put up 20 more points than Girard but he was playing on a slightly better squad. He played with 4 forwards who put up more than 60 pts, whereas Girard only played with two. Bailey had 96 pts and Beauvillier had 94 pts, so they are comparable.

Girard' skating alone makes him a much better prospect than Ellis ever was, especially considering the importance of this ability in today's NHL. You can compare Girard to someone like Tyson Barrie or TJ Brodie.

Ellis had 89 pts in his 2nd year. I doubt Girard scores that much, but I could see him scoring around 70. Points arn't telling the whole story, though.
Click to expand...

Ellis made team Canada and won a gold medal at 17. Think Girard makes the WJC this year?

People are underrating Ellis as a prospect
 
JeromeHP

JeromeHP

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Jan 9, 2003
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I think the Hlinka camp/tournament will be huge for him, playing on a big ice with that skating ability he could do some great thing in August.

I remember folks calling us crazy for having him are as our #1 prospect (minus Chad Krys) for the 2014 Q draft. He had a fantastic season with Shawinigan. Size will always be an issue with him but his skating-vision-hockey sense are all off the chart.
 
Zaddy

Zaddy

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Great player. Will be interesting to see what he can accomplish during the year.
 
Zaddy

Zaddy

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Had 3 assists in Shawinigans big 8-2 win over Victoriaville last night. Now up to 7 points in 4 games.
 
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