Utah Mammoth’s 2025-26 Report Cards: Cole Beaudoin

At the beginning of December, Beaudoin was named to Team Canada for the upcoming World Juniors tournament. He was named an alternate captain for Canada before the tournament began. Beaudoin did well in his second World Juniors tournament, unlike his prior appearance. In seven games, the forward produced seven points, leading Canada to a bronze medal.

When the OHL season picked up again in January, Beaudoin continued his elite play. In his first five games, he had 11 points, four of which were goals. In the final six games of the month, he had six points. In 10 games in February, Beaudoin had 22 points, including a five-point outing against the Ottawa 67’s and back-to-back four-point nights. 

In the final month of the season, Beaudoin had points in six of the Colts’ eight games. In total, the forward had 88 points, a career high for him in juniors. He led the Colts in every single offensive category and was seventh in the entire OHL in points. As a result, Beaudoin was named the recipient of the William Hanley Trophy (awarded to the OHL’s most sportsmanlike player) and a finalist for the Red Tilson Trophy (awarded to the most outstanding player in the OHL).

With a 45-14-5-4 record, the Colts won the Central Division, locking up a first-round matchup with the Niagara IceDogs. In the series, Beaudoin had a point in all five games, producing 11 points in total as the Colts beat the IceDogs, moving on to the second round.

In the Colts’ second-round series against the 67’s, Beaudoin once again had a point in every single game of the series, this time putting up 12 points. That included the series-clinching goal in Game 5. The Colts dispatched the 67’s in five games and moved on to the conference final.

Going into the conference final, the Colts knew they were going to have a challenge on their hands. Awaiting them were the Brantford Bulldogs, who hadn’t lost a game in the playoffs yet, sweeping their first two series. The Colts lost the first game of the series despite a goal from Beaudoin. However, a three-point outing from their alternate captain, including the game-winning goal, gave them their first win of the series.

Game 3 was the only playoff game where Beaudoin didn’t have a point as the Colts were shut out 2-0. Despite producing an assist in Game 4, the Bulldogs dominated Beaudoin and his team, putting them on the brink of elimination. However, the Colts weren’t going to go down that easily. A big overtime winner in Game 5 in Brantford gave them life in the series. Unfortunately, it came with a cost.

Beaudoin only played two shifts in Game 5 before going down with an undisclosed injury. The Colts went on to win Game 6 in overtime as well and finished off the 3-1 series comeback in Game 7 with a big 5-0 win, punching their ticket to the OHL Championship Series. Yet, Beaudoin’s injury was major enough to have him sidelined through the final two games and the entire championship series.

With their star player out, the Colts, despite dragging Game 2 and 3 to overtime, couldn’t fend off the Rangers, who swept them to win the J. Ross Robertson Cup and clinch a spot in the Memorial Cup. There was a little bit of good news for Beaudoin, though. Despite missing the final six games due to injury, the forward still led the entire OHL playoffs in points with 29. An impressive accomplishment to end his season.

The Future

With four seasons in junior under his belt, the time has come for Beaudoin to turn pro. The question becomes, where does he end up?

Earlier, it was mentioned that Beaudoin was a popular choice out of all the big rookies in the Mammoth’s organization to jump straight into the NHL, and that very well still might be true. Beaudoin’s style of play can easily be translated to the NHL. He plays a great two-way game, and while his offense took another step this season, it’s not something he overly relies on.

Beaudoin isn’t shy to lay the body. He also isn’t scared to play second or third line minutes, which is where he’ll likely play on the Mammoth when the time comes. The forward is a mature and responsible player. Beaudoin doesn’t take many penalties, and he’s a natural-born leader, attributes that attracted the Mammoth to trade up to draft him back in 2024.

So, should Beaudoin start in the NHL? That is a question he’ll have to solve himself. He needs to have a really strong rookie and training camp, which is one of the big reasons why he didn’t earn any NHL games this season. Not only will he be battling the 12 forwards that made up the Mammoth’s lineup this season, but guys like Ben McCartney and Cameron Hebig, who had great seasons in the AHL, will also be fighting tooth and nail for those spots.

Ultimately, the AHL might be the best spot for Beaudoin to start next season. Not only will he be playing top minutes, but he’ll also be playing with other top prospects like Iginla and Desnoyers. Beaudoin will also be in a locker room filled with veterans who will help him further improve the game. The Roadrunners will obviously be benefiting from his great two-way play, but the forward’s leadership might come up huge for what’s shaping up to be a young team.

Overall Grade

It’s fitting that Beaudoin finishes out his time in the OHL by putting together his best season to date, filled with achievements and accomplishments, from a bronze medal with Team Canada to the multiple OHL awards. While the conclusion of his season was disappointing, leading the entire league in points in the postseason despite missing six games is nothing to scoff at.

Overall, Beaudoin is getting an A for his season. The forward impressed and surprised many with his increased rate of production while still maintaining his great two-way play and leadership qualities that made him a player the Mammoth desperately wanted to draft. He ends his junior career with a bang and enters his pro career with a lot of excitement around him.

Even if Beaudoin starts in the AHL, it’s highly likely that out of the big three Mammoth prospects, he’ll be the first to play an NHL game. He’s a player who has all the tools needed to jump straight into the NHL. The future is bright for Beaudoin, and he might be a player many teams regret passing on back in 2024.