I had already planned on trekking into practice this morning at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena. Yet, this morning news broke that I had been expecting for a little bit as the junior playing seasons are starting to end. Samuel Girard was officially assigned to the Milwaukee Admirals by the Nashville Predators from the Shawinigan Cataractes of the QMJHL. That added a bit more excitement to take in today’s practice. And this is how things looked.

Richard-Ribeiro-Gaudreau
White-Smith-Åberg
Kirkland-Kamenev-Payerl
Florek-Army-Liambas (Kelleher)

Pardy-Carrier
Murphy-Granberg
Girard-Dougherty
(O’Brien-Pinkston)

Mazanec
Gunnarsson

The lone inactives for today’s practice did sit back and watch from the bench-side area today. Jimmy Oligny and Cody Bass were on-hand but just spectators. Andrew O’Brien returned to the ice after suffering a lower-body injury. He was stationed in a flex-pairing with Rick Pinkston.

The injuries to Oligny and O’Brien open the door for Girard to hop right into things ASAP and could fast track him to make his pro debut on Friday night when the Admirals face the Cleveland Monsters at home. Should that happen it will likely be done with him paired to the left of Jack Dougherty. The two did lots of work together at this morning’s practice.

As for the forwards? That has been pretty much the general run of things for a good while now and Tyler Kelleher I believe is working in and out with the Mike Liambas spot in the off-chance Liambas picks up that tenth fighting major which would get him suspended for one-game under the AHL’s Fighting Major Policy. Beyond that, things have settled into this group for a decent amount of time and likely won’t change until a certain Yakov Trenin shows up in the not too distant future.

After practice concluded I had the chance to chat with the “new” Girard here in Milwaukee. I then spoke with both Alex Carrier and Anthony Richard who have played against Girard in the QMJHL in recent years. These were today’s interviews after practice.

Comments on the comments? If the Admirals are down Oligny for the rest of the season – how do you feel about Girard stepping in? Who would Girard be replacing at this point or will he sit for a small portion at the end of this season to process some games from a distance?

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