Beau Jelsma – 2022 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

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Beau Jelsma

2021-22 Team: Barrie Colts (OHL)
Date of Birth: Apr 28, 2004
Place of Birth: Brownsville, ON, CAN
Ht: 5-foot-10 Wt: 174 pounds
Shoots: L
Position: LW
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2022 first-year eligible

Rankings

When you start to look at the third or fourth-rounds of the NHL draft, that is where you begin to see possible late-round talent that can develop into really impactful players at the next level. Barrie Colts winger Beau Jelsma could very well be one of those names where not many are keeping a close eye on but really should, as he could be an effective energy player.

Related: THW 2022 NHL Draft Guide

The one thing that automatically stands out with Jelsma’s game is his compete level and strong work ethic as he shows great determination every shift. He plays a strong 200-foot game and has a high-end motor as he’s constantly engaged in all three zones. He’s always determined to close gaps and apply pressure with his speed and force turnovers in order to regain possession. 

He may not be the biggest player, but he does have good body positioning to shield and protect the puck when it’s on his stick. Especially when he drops his shoulder in order to get around defenders and maintain the inside edge. His skating and speed is a big reason why he’s able to get that advantage and separate the puck from the opponent swiftly and effectively. He could look to bulk up as there are times where he may get pushed off and lose control when dealing with pressure, but he shows no fear when engaging in battles along the boards in tough areas on the ice. 

Beau Jelsma Barrie Colts
Beau Jelsma, Barrie Colts (Josh Kim / The Hockey Writers)

Going back to his skating, Jelsma has great mobility and speed, as well as the ability to turn on the jets in a snap. He has great posture with his stride and he’s able to generate a great amount of speed with his crossovers. When in the neutral zone and entering the offensive blueline, he does a great job at cutting from the outside to the inside on defenders, catching them flat footed and off guard with his movement and decision making. He’s quick with his movements and rarely slows down in the process. 

Offensively, Jelsma does a great job at assessing his options in the offensive zone. He has great control when leading an attack and is very strong when being active on the cycle, freeing himself up for an opportunity. He’s a strong playmaker, as he’s finding the open lanes and locating his teammates to make quick passes or even a timely drop pass. 

Although Jelsma scored 27 goals this season, his shot is an area of improvement as he could look to work on his power and accuracy as he isn’t much of a threat from far out. Though, he does most of his damage when driving to the net. He has soft hands to move in to the high danger area and freeze goalies with his moves and even sneak in behind defenders for a scoring opportunity. 

Other THW Draft Profiles

Beau Jelsma – NHL Draft Projection

Jelsma isn’t on a lot of radars and he’s ranked 88th among North American skaters by Central Scouting. When you get into the later portions of the draft, players like Jelsma tend to stand out as he has a great skillset and work ethic. There’s a good chance that he may be a late fourth or fifth-round pick. Though he has some upside to his game and if a team takes a chance on him as a third or early fourth-round selection, it could work out.

Quotables

“Jelsma does an excellent of job of creating space for himself. Jelsma constantly looks to go to the low slot and provide passing options at net front. If a teammate is behind the net with possession of the puck, he goes to the low slot to offer a one-timer passing option. When his teammate is working the cycle around the boards and the opposition is puck watching, that is when Jelsma sneaks past them to the low slot.” – Josh Tessler, SMAHT Scouting

“Jelsma is a good defensive-minded player who is able to disrupt plays in the defensive zone in efforts to get it. He initially caught my eye by showing a strong compete-level and always came off the bench ready to engage in the play and challenged his opponents by sticking to them when they held possession.”– Olivia McArter, FC Hockey (from ‘22448 – Barrie vs. Kitchener’, FC Hockey – 09/13/21) 

“Beau has remained extremely committed to improving his game over what has been a challenging year for all players… He brings a high compete level with some good speed and skill that will be a great addition to our group moving forward.”– Rob Stewart, general manager of the Barrie Colts 

Strengths 

  • Steady two-way game
  • Work ethic and compete
  • Mobility and speed
  • Puck Protection
  • Passing and offensive zone play

Under Construction- Improvements to Make

  • Add strength
  • Improve on reads
  • Shooting and power

NHL Potential

Jelsma could have have top-six potential. A safe bet would probably be seeing him as a solid middle-six winger and secondary scorer. With his energy, work ethic and skating abilities he could be one of the depth players that can come alive in a key situation at five-on-five or even on the power play. Players like him can become a difference maker in the post season. If he continues to develop properly the sky is the limit for him.

Risk- Reward Analysis

Risk- 3/5, Reward 3.5/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense- 6/10, Defense 7/10

Awards/ Achievements

Jelsma was selected in the third-round, 55th overall by the Colts in the OHL Priority Selection Draft.

Beau Jelsma Statistics

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