Samuel Blais

Hometown:

Montmagny Quebec

Team:

St. Louis Blues

Currently Playing In:

CHL

Birthday:

1996-06-17
Position:

LW

Eligible for draft:

2014
Shoots:

Left
Drafted:

2014
Height:

5-10
Acquired:

6th round (176th overall), 2014
Weight:

164 lbs.
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History
2011-12: Samuel Blais skated for the Rive-Sud Express Midget Espoir AA team in Quebec. He scored 10 goals with 16 assists and 18 penalty minutes in 23 regular season games and had 2 goals with 6 assists and 4 penalty minutes in seven playoff games. 
 
2012-13: Blais played for the Trois-Rivieres Estacades in the Quebec midget AAA league. He scored 16 goals with 24 assists and 42 penalty minutes. Trois-Rivieres reached the playoff semifinals and in 10 playoff games Blais scored 8 goals with 4 assists and 4 penalty minutes. He was selected by Victoriaville in the eight round (129th overall) of the 2013 QMJHL Entry Draft. 
 
2013-14: Blais split the year between the QMJHL’s Victoriaville Tigres and the Levis Commandeurs midget AAA team — seeing extensive action with the Tigres in January and then skating in four playoff games. In 25 regular season games he scored 4 goals with 10 assists and was plus-4 with no penalties. Victoriaville finished fourth in the East Division and faced Drummondville in a first round playoff series. Blais skated in four of five games in the series and was minus-1 with 1 assist. Not among the 210 North American skaters in the Central Scouting final rankings he was selected by St. Louis in the sixth round (176th overall) in the 2014 NHL Draft. 

2014-15: Blais was the second-leading scorer for the Victoriaville Tigres, trailing only overage center Angelo Miceli, in his first full QMJHL season. He scored 34 goals with 48 assists and was -4 with 50 penalty minutes in 61 regular season games. The Tigres finished sixth in the East Division and were swept by first-place Rimouski in an opening round playoff series. Blais scored 2 goals with three assists and had an even plus/minus with 4 penalty minutes in four playoff games.

2015-16: Blais attended his second training camp with the Blues before returning to Victoriaville. He skated in 30 games with the Tigres and was one of the team’s top scorers when he was traded to Charlottetown in December 2015 for Alexandre Goulet in a swap of 19-year-old forwards. In 63 regular season games between the two teams Blais scored 33 goals with 49 assists and was -4 with 33 penalty minutes. The Islanders finished fourth in the Maritimes Division and reached the second round in the playoffs. Blais scored 4 goals with 15 assists and was +2 with 14 penalty minutes in 12 playoff games. He signed a three-year entry-level contract with St. Louis in November 2015.

 

Talent Analysis
Samuel Blais is an undersized, gifted offensive player who was drafted by the Blues after playing just half a season of junior hockey. Displaying some very good passing skills. he could actually use more selfishness in his offensive game as he is a pass-first player. His skating could use some improvement while his defensive game needs a lot of work.

Future

Blais began the 2015-16 season with Victoriaville before being acquired by the Charlottetown Islanders in a trade in December 2015. Signed to an entry-level contract by St. Louis in November, he was a point-per-game scorer in the QMJHL and will look to have that same type of production at the pro level in 2016-17, though he is eligible to return to Charottetown for an overage season. As with many speedy, offensively-inclined skill forwards, his positional play and defensive game are still developing. Many forwards with similar skill sets peak at the AHL level or secure lucrative deals in Europe.

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