The National Hockey League is taking a closer look at U Sports talent, and two Gaels standouts are seizing the opportunity.
Jacob Paquette, ArtSci ’24, and Luke Richardson, ArtSci ’23, were selected to National Hockey League (NHL) teams for their training camps earlier this month.
Paquette, who played defence for the Gaels from 2021 to 2024, was selected to the main training camp roster for the Montreal Canadiens this fall. Paquette was a mainstay on the Gaels’ blueline—recording four goals and 18 assists in 61 regular season games with the Gaels.
Paquette rounded out his career as a Gael by earning OUA All-Star honours after helping the Gaels tie a record of 19 regular season wins, and defensively helping them make a playoff push.
The 6’3’’ defencemen participated in the International University Sports Federation games in 2023, helping the Canadian team earn gold, as well as being named to the U SPORTS All-Stars team, who lost a close three-game series against the Canadian International Ice Hockey Federation Junior team roster.
Most recently, Paquette played a season with the Trois-Rivieres Lions of the ECHL, where he put up one assist last season.
During the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Paquette was drafted 216 overall, by the Nashville Predators.
The Habs have an extremely deep prospect pool, with names such as 2004-born defenseman Lane Hutson and this year’s second-overall lottery draft pick Ivan Demidov also trying to crack the Habs roster.
On the goaltending front, former Gael Luke Richardson has signed a professional tryout contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Richardson most recently played for the Gaels during the 2022-23 season, averaging 2.76 goals against and posting a .906 save percentage in Tricolour.
The Barrie, Ont. native was named an OUA All-Star, Second Team All-Canadian, and OUA Goaltender of the Year during the 2021-22 season after leading the league with 10 wins.
This won’t be Richardson’s first crack at making an NHL roster. He’s participated in the Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators development programs since he completed his time as a Gael.
Goalies are a rare asset in the NHL, so if Richardson impresses during training camp, he stands a strong chance of securing a spot, at the very least, on the Penguins’ team, the Scranton Penguins.
Few OUA hockey players have ever made it to the pinnacle of hockey, with the most notable Gael being Carl Voss, who won the league’s inaugural rookie of the year with both the New York Rangers and the Detroit Red Wings during the 1932-33 season.
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