Mammoth Prospect Wins CHL Award

Utah Mammoth prospect Cole Beaudoin has capped off his stellar Ontario Hockey League career by winning the Canadian Hockey League’s sportsman of the year award.

He is just the second Barrie Colt to receive the award in franchise history. Beaudoin joins Evan Vierling, who took home the same honors for the 2022-23 season.

Beaudoin’s work ethic, drive, and determination helped him become one of junior hockey’s top prospects. The Mammoth’s top prospect registered 33 goals and 55 assists for 89 points in 54 regular-season games.

“It’s just respecting your teammates, your coaches, respecting your opponents, and most importantly respecting the game of hockey,” the 20-year-old Kanata native said. “I’m a hardworking kid, and that’s the way I’ve grown up to be since I was a little boy playing the game.”

Beaudoin also finished second behind the Kitchener Rangers’ Sam O’Reilly in voting for the Red Tilson Trophy. The award is given annually to the OHL’s top performer. Beaudoin helped Canada win a bronze medal at the IIHF World Junior Championship. He was also the OHL playoff scoring leader despite being injured in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference final and missing the rest of the postseason.

“It’s always an honor to win an award, but I wouldn’t be capable if I didn’t have the group I had behind me,” said Beaudoin.

Beaudoin was a first-round pick (24th overall) in 2024 of the Utah Mammoth. Two years after he became the Colts’ first rounder (10th overall) in the OHL Priority Selection.

Mammoth Prospect Rehabbing Injury

Beaudoin is currently rehabbing his upper-body injury. He and his family have requested that the nature of the injury not be disclosed. He is expected to be okay and ready to take part in training camp in September.

When asked about Beaudoin and other prospects expected to challenge for roster spots, Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong gave them a hopeful message.

“We want to encourage our prospects to come in and try, and make our club,” he said. “You never want to take a dream away from a prospect, and you don’t know. Sometimes they can show up and earn their way in.”

Armstrong said the team isn’t going to gift a job to anyone. If a prospect makes the team out of training camp, it will be because he earned a spot.