In the trade that sent Vincent Trocheck to the Utah Mammoth, the New York Rangers acquired prospect Cole Beaudoin, defenseman Sean Durzi, and a 2027 third-round selection. Each of the tree make for interesting storylines going into the NHL season, but the young center may be one of the best.
Addressing the middle of the ice is an absolute must for the Rangers, especially from a long-term perspective. Mika Zibanejad and J.T. Miller won’t be in Manhattan forever, and at some point, a top-six center must come up through New York’s ranks. Beaudoin could very well be the franchise center of the future.
Considering Beaudoin is the second-highest-ranked prospect in the Rangers’ pipeline (behind the No. 5 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, LHD Alberts Smits), there are enough reasons for fans in New York City to be anxious to watch him take the ice at Madison Square Garden. However, all signs point to his NHL debut having to wait—at the very least, until Beaudoin makes his first professional appearance in the AHL.
According to Dan Rosen of NHL.com, the 20-year-old center may not make his Rangers debut until the 2027-28 season. Perhaps Beaudoin debuts in 2026-27 but only plays a couple of games before returning to the AHL, where he is expected to have a strong first year with the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Cole Beaudoin playing for Canada at World Juniors.
Beaudoin has yet to make pro debut
Spending the past four seasons in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Barrie Colts, Beaudoin has yet to join a professional hockey club for a full season. The OHL is one of three major junior ice hockey leagues under the Canadian Hockey League’s (CHL) umbrella.
Although he was drafted by the Utah Hockey Club with the 24th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and signed his entry-level contract shortly after, Beaudoin was never called up to the NHL or AHL by Utah. As a result, his contract slid past its first two seasons.
As he joins the Rangers, Beaudoin’s three-year, $2.92 million rookie deal remains untouched. This means he will become a restricted free agent in 2029, when the Ottawa native will be 23 years old.
Beaudoin’s stats
Beaudoin registered 88 points (33 goals and 55 assists) across 54 games with the Colts last season, as well as a seven-point performance with Canada at the World Juniors. Clearly, he has the ingredients to succeed, but it may come down to how the Rangers develop him, and that’s been an issue of its own in the Big Apple.
