With the 24th pick of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, the Utah Hockey Club has selected Cole Beaudoin from the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
About Cole Beaudoin
A center in the OHL, Cole Beaudoin had decent production but nothing spectacular, sitting at 28 goals and 34 assists for 62 points in 67 games in the regular season. Seeing as he was a notable riser from his first OHL campaign in 2022-23, he could be looking at 80-90 points in a full campaign in 2024-25. At 6-foot-2 and 206 pounds, there is an inspiring size element with him, too.
Related: 2024 NHL Draft: Live Tracker
There’s definitely some defensive upside here as well as some playmaking ability, but Beaudoin doesn’t appear to have any truly elite traits. He could slot in as a solid middle-six center in the NHL given his production and on-ice characteristics, which is a good snag at his draft position. Still growing, there’s a lot to like.
THW Prospect Profile Excerpt
“Coming off a 2022-23 season with the Barrie Colts that saw Cole Beaudoin get his feet wet as a rookie, he quickly learned that his skating would be a major area of improvement. It looked like his skating improved during the offseason and his time at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup with Team Canada. While in the tournament, he looked like one of Team Canada’s best players, showcasing his strong offensive play, headlined by his playmaking ability and strong shot.
“Beaudoin’s playmaking is spotlighted while on the powerplay as well. He has been one of the Colts’ top players while on the man advantage thanks to his playmaking and willingness to drive to the dirty areas of the ice and to the front of the net to make a play.
Related: 2024 NHL Draft Guide
“Not only is he a strong offensive player, but Beaudoin has also shown a strong two-way game and is defensively sound on his end of the ice. If his skating can improve, and his speed is not the highlight of his game, then Beaudoin has a chance to be a player who can make a big difference in an NHL lineup someday.
Full player profile can be found here.
How This Affects Utah’s Plans
Utah has the talent already, especially after taking Tij Iginla earlier on draft night. Here, they get a two-way center with some upside. While Beaudoin wasn’t the most productive player in the OHL or the most skilled, he has the intangibles to be a very solid player for them. By the time Utah is ready to compete, they could really be thanking themselves for this selection. With some development and growth to come, this is a pretty solid pick, even if they had to trade up.
Iginla and Logan Cooley can be Utah’s two elite centers, while Beaudoin could theoretically be a third-line center. That’s some pretty great depth on paper, so there’s something being built here.