Cedrick Guindon
2021-22 Team: Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
Date of Birth: April 21, 2004
Place of Birth: Rockland, Ontario
Height: 5-foot-10, Weight: 163 pounds
Shoots: Left
Position: Center
NHL Draft Eligibility: First-Year Eligible
Rankings
- Eliteprospects.com: 83rd
- McKeen’s Hockey: 108th
- NHL Central Scouting (NA Skaters): 59th
- Smaht Scouting: 122nd
Cedrick Guindon is an excellent skater who had a productive season in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) this season where he managed to score 30 goals in 68 games. His speed stands out at the junior level, and he plays all over the ice, creating chances on the rush where his skating allows him to turn defence into offense. He has solid stickhandling and playmaking skills, as well as an above average shot for the OHL, but none of his offensive skills are exceptional enough to offset the biggest concern that most scouts have with Guindon, his size.
Measuring in at 5-foot-10, Guindon faces the same challenge as top prospects Logan Cooley, Matthew Savoie, and Frank Nazar. That challenge is convincing NHL teams that they can be effective players in the NHL despite their size. While each of those three players are locks to be drafted in the first round of the draft in July, Guindon lacks the dynamic offensive skill that they have, which is why he is typically found a lot lower on most draft boards.
Related: 2022 NHL Draft Guide
As I mentioned before, Guindon’s greatest skill is his skating. Corey Pronman, a writer and prospect evaluator at The Athletic, ranked him as the 15th best skater in the entire draft class, putting him on roughly the same level as some of the draft’s top prospects skating-wise. Nazar was ranked 10th and Cooley was ranked ninth in the draft class. Obviously, those players have the edge over Guindon in a variety of other facets of the game such as stickhandling, shooting and creativity, but to even be in the same conversation as players of that caliber is a testament to his exceptional skating ability.
Effective skating is one of the main differentiators between players who top out as excellent American Hockey League (AHL) players and the guys who can make the transition to the NHL. If Guindon is able to develop one more defining aspect of his game over the next few seasons, then his skating should give him a real shot at meaningful minutes in the NHL. His offense was good but not great this season in the OHL but if he can build on that by improving his playmaking and/or his shot, then he could become a legit bottom-six piece in a few years. He already plays a high-effort defensive game as a 200-foot center, but if he can further develop his ability to read opposing offenses and put on some muscle to help him break up plays, then he could become a fixture on the penalty kill in the NHL someday.
Other THW Draft Profiles
Cedrick Guindon – NHL Draft Projection
While Guindon’s skating is stellar, his diminutive frame and lack of dynamic skill makes him a significantly riskier pick than some of the smaller players at the top of the draft. I expect him to be drafted in the third or fourth rounds of this year’s draft as the rewards will out-weigh the risks for many teams at that point. I would love to see him go earlier in the draft and it is possible that a team believes in his skating and takes a bit of a chance on him in the late second or early third rounds, though that is less likely than him slipping into the fourth round, in my opinion.
Quotables
“His speed is definitely his strongest attribute, as he is always buzzing all over the ice trying to create plays. He also is a great stickhandler and playmaker. His size is a bit alarming, but if he can build some strength it shouldn’t be too much of a hindrance.” – Josh Thomas, FC Hockey
“Guindon is a very good skater. He’s strong in transition due to his speed and skill and has a good shot as well.” – Corey Pronman, The Athletic, (from ‘NHL Draft 2022 top 127 prospects: Juraj Slafkovsky leads Corey Pronman’s list’, The Athletic, 5/31/22)
Strengths
- Skating
- Speed
- High effort
- Transition offence
Under Construction (Improvements to Make)
- Consistency
- Improve shot
NHL Potential
Guindon has the potential to become a Swiss Army knife type of player in the bottom six of an NHL team. To get there, he will need to improve in at least one of the following areas: offensive consistency, defensive awareness, and positioning, and improving his shot to an NHL level. He has the skating to stick in the NHL, but he will need at least one more distinguishing skill to become a full-time NHLer.
Risk-Reward Potential
Risk – 2.5/5, Reward – 3/5
Fantasy Hockey Potential
Offense – 7/10, Defense – 6.5/10
Interviews
Awards/Achievements
- Named OHL Rookie of the Month for March 2022
Statistics
Videos
