Montreal Canadiens Prospect Nathan Beaulieu

Saint John Sea Dog defenseman, Nathan Beaulieu

At the tender age of 19, Nathan Beaulieu will most likely spend the 2012-13 season with the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL on his journey to the NHL. Entering his first season as a professional, Beaulieu already boasts an impressive blend of offensive skills and speed.

Power-play quarterback in the show

Beaulieu has a lot of talent. The Strathroy, Ontario native is first and foremost an offensive-defenseman that has the potential to be a very effective power-play quarterback in the show. He’s silky smooth on his skates and is a good puck-mover. Beaulieu also has the size and the raw physical tools to put up solid numbers with the Montreal Canadiens. However, I’m still just not sure exactly what to make of him and have some trouble trying to fully gauge his NHL potential.

Defensive woes

Something about his overall game just leaves you with an impression of carelessness and I'm not specifically talking about last year's World Junior Championship blunder. And let's be clear about something else, Beaulieu will never be mistaken for a top defensive-blueliner. Right off the bat, Beaulieu must improve his defensive zone coverage. He will also need to work on his mental toughness as well as his decision-making abilities (limit turnovers) if he wants to be a top-pairing defenseman with the Canadiens. A stint in Hamilton will certainly help correct these aspects of his game.

The next Keith Yandle?

The offensively gifted Beaulieu projects to be a top-four defender with Montreal, in a career that can go as far as his speed will take him. Beaulieu already has the quickness and all the offensive attributes to succeed with the Habs. However, he will need to learn how to match those skills with his defensive duties. Simplifying his game will be essential.

We have all heard the John-Michael Liles of the Toronto Maple Leafs comparison, but in my opinion, his ceiling is much higher than that. I think Beaulieu could even be a 55-60 point defenseman one day, a la Keith Yandle. In the meantime, he's someone to keep an eye on in Hamilton this season.

 

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.