The last time we checked our heroes of the ECHL, the Tahoe Knight Monsters continued their impressive expansion story. The new guys were battling for Mountain Division supremacy, taking on bitter foes such as the Kansas City Mavericks. Where do the little brothers of the Vegas Golden Knights currently stand?
Well, the Mavericks are running away with the division at 73 points. They sit one point back of the Toledo Walleye for the Western Conference's top spot (74). Meanwhile, the Knight Monsters (64) are duking it out with the Wichita Thunder (65) and the Tulsa Oilers (66) for that coveted second spot. It's going to take an all-around team effort to get back into the swing of things.
One of those players responsible is the team leader in goals, Simon Pinard. The forward has 24 goals and 44 points this season. He's already tied his point total from last season with the Savannah Ghost Pirates, continuing an impressive climb through the hockey ranks. How high will he go? Who knows?
But let's meet the 23-year-old and see what he brings to the table. What makes Pinard special? How will he get that eventual roster spot with the Golden Knights? When you lead your minor league team in goals scored, the future looks bright for you. Here's what fans can expect from the up-and-coming prospect.
What makes Simon Pinard special
The first thing that jumps out when talking about Simon Pinard is his honor for the 2024-25 ECHL Midseason All-Star Team. He received this honor alongside Sloan Stanick and Brennan Kapcheck. The 21-year-old stands at 5'11" and weighs 190 lbs. He hails from Drummondville, Quebec. While he's not the biggest player on the ice, he makes up for it with offensive prowess.
The Quebec native has consistently scored 20+ goals throughout his amateur and minor league careers. His earliest instance came in 2019-20 with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada of the QMJHL, where he scored 29 goals and 18 assists in 58 games. He also achieved this in 2021-22 with the Gatineau Olympiques, scoring 25 goals and 26 assists in 37 games.
What's even more impressive is he nearly scored 20+ goals with the Armada that season as well. The forward had 19 goals in 30 games, highlighting a knack for finding quality scoring opportunities. Part of that acumen is he's proficient with playing at a pace. He controls the game efficiently and can fly out of the zone for a breakout.
He's also useful on the penalty kill given his incredible work ethic. Pinard will fight for any loose puck and win any puck battle he can. In turn, that leads to successful exits. His zone breakout can also create short-handed scoring opportunities, swinging the momentum back in his team's favor. It's good to have solid skating at a minor league level, where you can build upon this skill.
Does he have a shot at the NHL? Absolutely. The Vegas Golden Knights haven't had a solid penalty kill throughout their franchise history. They could use someone who fights for every puck and wins puck battles. A player like Pinard can be a viable asset given his skating speed and work ethic, bolstering the unit. As long as he continues chugging along with the Knight Monsters, the future looks bright.