Exclusive: Cole Beaudoin Wants To Establish A Winning Culture With Utah Hockey Club

Aug 8, 2024, 1:04 PM

Utah Hockey Club Insider

SALT LAKE CITY – It’s been an eventful summer for 18-year-old Cole Beaudoin. After being selected No. 24 overall by the Utah Hockey Club in the 2024 NHL Draft, the Canada native then participated in the World Junior Showcase for his country.

Following several key and impactful moments in his young career, Beaudoin is excited for the future with Team Canada and the Utah Hockey Club.

2024 NHL Draft

More than a month removed from the moment the Utah Hockey Club called his name in this year’s draft, Beaudoin has had some time to reflect on what that meant to him.

“It’s super exciting,” Beaudoin told KSL Sports. “Obviously being at the draft with all my family and then hearing my name get called to Utah, I was super excited. Then being able to go there for development camp, go up to Park City, Salt Lake, meet the players, meet the other draft picks, and the staff. It was an amazing week, and I can’t wait to continue to develop each and every day.”

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Specific to this year, being selected by the franchise came with its own special opportunity. As the newest home of the NHL, Utah provides a fresh new start and a unique beginning for players like Beaudoin.

“It’s brand new so the fans are really excited to have a hockey team in Utah. Just by the feel of the first game, which was just a development game, we had a bunch of fans there. Everyone was excited and the community seems great so I can’t wait for Utah to have hockey and to get going,” he said.

2024 Summer Showcase

Fast forward to this past week, Beaudoin was busy lacing up his skates for Team Canada in the Junior Summer Showcase.

In two games against the United States and Finland, Beaudoin finished with a beautiful slapshot goal in an 8-6 victory over Finland.

“I feel like I demonstrated my overall game,” Beaudoin told KSL Sports. “Anytime I go into those events I don’t try to change anything about my game. Being reliable in the defensive zone, I want to have the coaches trust to put me out there in the last five minutes. On the offensive zone, use my skill, vision, use my shot to score goals and make plays.”

Another highlight for Beaudoin was the chance to play alongside his future Utah teammate, Tij Iginla, who was selected No. 6 overall in the first round.

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“He’s an amazing person. Being able to get drafted to the same team was really nice. I thought we got close over the development camp and then again during the showcase, so I think we are creating a good bond on and off the ice and I’m really excited,” Beaudoin said.

“I feel like we are two hardworking players,” He continued. “We both have the mindset of competing, the drive of wanting to get better. I feel like we do work hand in hand with each other.”

What’s Up Next For Cole Beaudoin?

Looking ahead, the next major event for Beaudoin will be Utah’s Rookie Camp next month before the season starts.

During camp, he’s simply focused on the opportunity to play against other NHL clubs and new prospects. He also shared that he’s concentrating a lot of his efforts on developing his hands and making them smoother before he gets the official call-up to the NHL.

While Beaudoin will have an opportunity to make the Utah Hockey Club roster this season, it’s unlikely that he’ll be ready to make the jump to the NHL and should spend more time developing with the Barrie Colts in the OHL.

But until then, he wants Utah fans to know that he’ll give them everything he has no matter the setting, and that he is focused on bringing a winning culture to Salt Lake City.

“It won’t matter if it’s practice or whatever it might be, I am going to give them everything I have,” Beaudoin said. “I feel like we can accomplish a lot. We have a lot of good young talent, and we are headed down the right path. I want to be there. I want to be in a winning culture, a winning team. I am going to try and bring winning to Utah.”