The stage is set for the Calder Cup North Division final as No. 3 seed Cleveland takes on No. 4 seed Toronto, each hoping for the opportunity to play for the Eastern Conference title.
Monsters defenseman Guillaume Richard is more than ready to take on this challenge, shining bright under the lights of playoff hockey.
The fourth-round draft pick has quickly made an impact with Cleveland, generating a statline favorable for a rookie season. In 70 games played, Richard slotted seven goals while notching 11 assists to take home 18 points. But what truly made him stand out is his plus-20 rating, emphasizing how effective he's been as a top-pair defenseman in his first pro campaign.
A goal is always helpful – no one can win a game without them. The adrenaline rush that’s supported by the sounding goal horn and roaring crowd is unbeaten. Two weeks ago, Richard netted not one but two goals in a critical Game 3 win over Syracuse as the Monsters won their first-round series over the Crunch.
However, he takes the most pride in shutting down the opposing team’s first line, a testament to his quiet proficiency that’s guiding the Monsters in their playoff run.
“Scoring is probably one of the best feelings in hockey,” Richard said Wednesday. “And it's not really part of my job, per se, but obviously I can chip in offensively when the time comes. But I would say also games when you're not scoring, taking pride in shutting teams down and their best line is also really gratifying.”
But before Richard was donning a Cleveland sweater and lighting the lamp in competitive playoff games, he was lacing up the skates with the Providence Friars.
At the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, Richard heard his name called by Columbus, etching him as the 101st player to have his hockey dreams be recognized in that cohort. But before heading off to Ohio, the Quebec native committed to Providence to develop in the NCAA. There, he established a name for himself outside of his draft status, accumulating applause around the league for his skills on the ice.
From the get-go, Richard stood out among the rest. In his freshman season, he earned Hockey East Defender of the Month honors in October, was named Hockey East Defender of the Week in January and earned the team’s Most Valuable Freshman award.
He didn’t stop there. As his years progressed with the Friars, Richard maintained a steady, reliable output, notching nine goals and 54 points with a plus-24 rating in 139 games over four seasons. While his primary abilities aren’t defined on the stat sheet, Richard found a lot of success in his consistency – consistency in his ability to use his elite hockey IQ to shut down top lines while supporting his own.
Blue Jackets assistant general manager Chris Clark worked with Richard during his time as a development coach in the organization and has kept a close eye on his rise through the CBJ system, noticing Richard’s steady, reliable game throughout.
“He was one of my last guys in development, so I stuck with him and watched him his whole four years at Providence and everything, so I know what he can do,” Clark said at midseason. “I was really happy when he came in last year and that translated to the pro game. That coach there in Providence, he's pro-minded. It's not wide open. It's more you make smart plays, and that's what G is. He makes smart plays.”
Much of this trend is apparent in his short time with Cleveland. Richard is not one to expect a multiple-point night. Much of his work consists in the defending third, which he’s content with. But his under-the-radar moves – whether it’s blocking a shot, backchecking or winning those battles on the board – have helped make him such a success early on in his time with the Monsters.
"He hasn't showed up a ton on the scoresheet if you look at that, but his 200-foot game, he's on the top pair with Dysin Mayo for the majority of the year and they've been playing against the best players in the American League, which is a pretty tall task as a first-year player," Monsters head coach Trent Vogelhuber said. "And he's done such a great job at it. He's gotten better over the course of the year. He's as trustworthy as it gets as far as defending and going back and getting pucks out of our end, the little things that help you win at this time of year."
His debut with Cleveland came late in the 2024-25 regular season, where he finished the stretch with an even rating, claiming two goals and two assists in eight games while gearing up for the postseason. And in the competitive environment that is playoff hockey, his IQ shined brightest.
In six games played, Richard finished the Monsters’ run with a plus-four rating, scoring one goal and providing an assist. The ability to seamlessly transition from college to pros is no easy feat, yet Richard made it look like a walk in the park. New faces, nearly double the games and the fast speed of play were just a few of the challenges that came Richard’s way. However, it’s the people that made it possible to overcome.
“We have a great group of guys that hang out outside the rink, so it's it made the transition seamless,” Richard said. “Honestly, the hockey is different. And yeah, the game amount is different, but at the end of the day, it's just a group of guys going to play another group of guys and just having fun doing it. So it's been pretty seamless this year. And I enjoyed it a lot.”
Now settled, Richard has an entirely new playoff bracket to tackle. But this time, he’s doing it with an entire season of blood, sweat and tears in a Monsters jersey. When the curtains go down on the 2025-26 season, Richard hopes to add another accolade to his list of accomplishments – one that consists of him hoisting the Calder Cup above his head. Until then, he continues to shine under the spotlights on his largest stage yet.
