As the Stanley Cup Finals race toward being finished, the draft is under 2 weeks away and if the Leafs want a big, powerful centre to add to their system then Beaudoin could be their guy.
Cole Beaudoin
Position: Centre
Shoots: Left
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 210lbs
Beaudoin made great strides in his 2nd year with the Barrie Colts of the OHL. His offensive numbers improved from 8 goals and 20pts in 63 games, to 28 goals and 62pts in 67 games in his draft year. His ability to make good, clean passes comes from his solid vision while holding the puck, as he loves to set up teammates for good scoring chances. He has a pro level shot and he likes to get to the net to score goals in tight, which is exactly where he goes after he makes one of those passes. He’s tough for opposing defenders to handle in those tight areas, as he uses his size and strength well to shield the puck. He’s the type of player that never gives up on a play, as those buzz words such as “engine” are used to describe him often. He’s an effective forechecker as well, but his offensive game isn’t his biggest positive. His defensive game is upper level, as he uses both his vision and hockey IQ to cut off lanes and disrupt play, while also being able to lean on opponents to take away space and negate chances.
As is often the case with players with Beaudoin’s size, he isn’t the most fleet of foot. He has worked on his skating, which was a big knock on him after his first OHL season, but his speed still needs to improve. He does tend to use his smarts to get to where he needs to be, so if he can improve his speed while already having the mind to take the quickest and most effective routes it will quicken his development time tremendously.
Beaudoin is often compared to Boone Jenner and I think that’s a fair assessment. He’s big, physical, defensively sound and can bring some offense, but with his speed the question is how much offense will that be at the NHL level. It’s my own personal belief that, due to his being a bit of a gym rat and with his work ethic that he’ll continue to work on his game and will land as a two-way 3C in the NHL, but a 2C is certainly possible. The nice thing with prospects such as Beaudoin as well is that with his pro size and defensive game he can break in as a 4C quicker than some smaller/skilled prospects with a higher ceiling and work on his game at the NHL level. He should have a long, respectful career.