[Sandman]

More Draft Thoughts:

One of the players that I was most impressed with at the most recent edition of the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup was 6'2", 198lb LHC Cole Beaudoin. 3 goals and 6 points in 5 games, tied with Maxim Masse for 6th in scoring for Team Canada- ahead of names like Justin Poirier and Cayden Lindstrom. Beaudoin was seemingly everywhere, constantly in his opponents' faces, displaying a work-ethic and physicality that made him really stand out. He skated hard, taking away all time and space from his enemies and applying constant pressure with his speed, wingspan, and tenacity. This season, in OHL play, he has collected 19 goals and 35 points in 39 games for the Barrie Colts, who are currently 3rd-worst in the league, and have the 3rd-worst goals-for. Those 35 points put him second on the team in scoring, and his 19 goals are first. I believe there's more in this player than what the numbers say.

Beaudoin's most prominent attribute may be his size/skating ratio. He moves very well for a big man, with excellent acceleration and straight-line speed, and is fully capable of winning races to pucks against smaller players. His east-west may be a little weaker, but he's more of a north-south linnear player anyway. His speed helps him be effective in transition, and in storming back to the defensive zone. As one can imagine, he's a nightmare on the forecheck, and a load to handle in puck-battles. He also owns great balance, and is strong on his skates, making him hard to knock off the puck, or off stride.

Size and physicality are another pillar to Beaudoin's game, and he uses his size often, finishing checks, punishing opponents along the boards, and using his body to leverage his way to the net. He consistently wins puck battles, and is dominant down low. He likes to play in the middle of the ice, and will go to the front of the net to cause havok. He's quite competitive, and very gritty, and wears opponents down with his physical game. Beaudoin is an effective player in all 3 zones, and really seems to take pride in his defensive game. He's an excellent penalty-killer, and has substantial defensive awareness- he backchecks as hard he forechecks. His most prominent offensive weapon is his shot, and his hands-as his 19 goals might attest. He's got good hands around the net, and can capitalize on tips or rebounds, and he's got moves to beat goalies in tight. He can also score from further out, as he owns a top-notch wrister, and snapshot, with a quick release. Like most goal-scorers, he knows where to be to recieve a pass in order to unleash his shot, and he knows how to create, and exploit, open space.

Beaudoin should not be overlooked in the early-to-mid second round, and could conceivably slip into the first, as he could one day make a fine middle-six center in the NHL. His weakness may be the questions about whether he possesses high-end vision for playmaking, and thus, what his offensive ceiling really is. A lot of the more difficult passes he attempts miss their mark, increasing the chance of turnovers- so he needs to work on getting more crisp in his distribution, but he'll likely never be a big playmaker. He's the type to play a simpler, more linnear game, while providing a valuable two-way presence. He skates well now, but must continue to build his stride, and he'll be a scary, Ferland-type.