PROVIDENCE – A pair of Providence College men’s hockey senior defensemen recently signed entry-level contracts with the NHL teams they were drafted by in 2021 and 2024.
Guillaume Richard signed an entry-level deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets on March 31, while Taige Harding signed a similar deal with the Chicago Blackhawks on April 1. Both players’ agreements begin in the 2025-26 season, PC says.
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Additionally, freshman forward Trevor Connelly, who was drafted No. 19 by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2024 NHL Draft, signed a three-year entry-level contract with the team on April 1.
PC says Richard, of Cap-Sante, Quebec, Canada, and Harding, of St. Albert, Alberta, Canada, will report to the American Hockey League’s Cleveland Monsters and Rockford IceHogs, respectively, on amateur try-outs for the rest of the current 2024-25 season.
Both Richard and Harding join former Friar teammates, such as Riley Duran with the Providence Bruins and Brett Berard, now with the New York Rangers, in the professional ranks. It is unclear when Connelly will play professionally.
Richard and Harding each recorded 14 points (two goals, 12 assists) for the Friars during the 2024-25 season, PC said. Richard also recorded a team-high 41 blocked shots for the college this past year as an alternate captain, while Harding blocked 30 shots this past year.
Richard scored nine goals and 45 assists, with a plus-24 rating in 139 career games with the Friars, according to PC. In 123 career games, Harding recorded eight goals and 32 assists for the college.
Connelly, of Tustin, Calif., scored four goals and recorded nine assists in 23 games for PC this past season. He also earned a gold medal with the U.S. at the 2025 World Junior Championships, where he totaled four points on a goal and three assists over seven games in the tournament, PC said.
Providence College (21-11-5 overall, 11-8-5 in the Hockey East division) qualified for the 2025 NCAA Men’s Hockey Tournament for the first time since 2019. However, the Friars lost 5-1 in the first round on March 28 to reigning national champion University of Denver in Manchester, N.H.
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on X at @James_Bessette.
