Defenseman Guillaume Richard has been selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Richard was the Blue Jackets' fourth round pick, at #101 overall.
Most projections had the 6'2'', 175lb blue liner as a third round pick, so to get Richard in the fourth round is certainly a good value pick.
The Quebec native brings a high intelligence to the game, relying on making the smart play at the right time. Scouts and coaches have raved about his work ethic, something that the Columbus front office has always demanded from their young players.
EPRinkside.com describes Richard as someone who "blows up the cycle, suffocates his man around the net, and kills plays at the top of the circle."
“Details, rather than tools, drives his puck game, where he takes pucks in motion, looking off his target, and quickly moves the puck.”
Most recently, Richard played in 46 games with the Tri-City Storm of the USHL. He scored two goals and had 14 assists in 46 games. In the 2020-21 U18 World Juniors, no player had a better plus/minus than Richard, who finished at +14.
Welcome to the organization, Guillaume Richard!
