REDS Recruit Richard
(FREDERICTON, NB) The UNB REDS men’s hockey team is naming goaltender Samuel Richard as the first member of their recruiting class of 2022.
Richard, from Ste-Catherine, Quebec, recently concluded his major junior career with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
He’s signed a U SPORTS Letter of Intent and will join the REDS ahead of the 2022-2023 Atlantic University Sport season.
“Sam had a great major junior career and was highly recommended by former REDS goaltender Samuel Harvey,” said REDS head coach Gardiner MacDougall. “He has a great work ethic, a super skill set and a tremendous foundation for development.”
Richard was impressive in three seasons with the Huskies.
In 82 regular season games over three QMJHL seasons, Richard posted a 41-31-8 record.
In 2021-22, his overage season, he was 24-18-5, with a 2.69 goals-against-average.
He played more regular season minutes than any other QMJHL goaltender and his 0.918 save percentage was the best in the league and top five in the Canadian Hockey League.
Four times during the season, Richard was named the QMJHL’s Goalie of the Week, including three consecutive weeks in April, when he also earned the league’s Goalie of the Month honours.
In Rouyn-Noranda’s first round playoff series, despite his team being swept, Richard earned 2nd star honours in two of the three games.
“I choose UNB because I've heard a lot of great things about the organization, the team and the history of the team,” said Richard. “When I met with the coaches and visited there, I had a great feeling regarding the victorious mentality and the way they try to reach excellence every season.”
While he considered other recruiting options, Richard says his visit to UNB’s Aitken Centre, where eight national championship and 18 Atlantic conference championship banners hang from the rafters, helped him decide.
“I think the REDS want me because I’ve proven I can bring a lot to a team and give them a great chance to win every game,” he said. “I'm an athletic goaltender and I’ve improved the control aspect of my game. I'm working on all aspects of my game, and I’ll bring my work ethic and determination.”
Richard says he met Harvey, who helped Rouyn-Noranda to the 2019 Memorial Cup before winning the 2020 AUS championship with the REDS, when the latter was playing for the Huskies.
“I learned a lot from him,” said Richard. “I had a great chat with him when it was time to make a decision, and he told me good things about his experience at UNB.”
Richard also spoke with REDS’ goalie coach Kyle MacDonald.
“Kyle does an excellent job with our goalies,” said Coach MacDougall. “The four grads he’s worked with since joining our program have all gone on to sign contracts with American Hockey League teams.”
“We expect Sam and returnee Griffen Outhouse to continue the outstanding UNB tradition of top-quality goaltending,” said MacDougall.
Richard says his short-term goal will be to start the 2022-2023 season on a good note. Long-term, he says, he wants to be part of a REDS team that returns the University Cup to Fredericton.
PHOTOS: Jean Lapointe/Rouyn Noranda Huskies