Colorado Avalanche draftee Alex Beaucage will return to his major juniors team. However, he shows some potential to eventually make the team.
The Colorado Avalanche used their second pick of the third round, the #78 overall, to select a good-sized winger. Said winger is youngster Alex Beaucage.
I say youngster because this particular draft prospect is only 17 — he’ll turn 18 next week. The 6-foot-2, 192-pound teen hails from Trois-Rivières, Quebec.
Well, rather, he was born there. In a story a little similar to Andre Burokovsky’s, Beaucage spent the first seven years of his life in Germany as his father, Marc Beaucage, was playing hockey in the top German league. He studied English and attended a French school, but he also loved the German crowds.
Beaucage spoke to the team about his experience:
"“One week after being born I went to Germany. It was pretty good for me–I spent my first seven years there. It was a lot, being there with another language, German’s not the same at all as French, but it was pretty special. After that, coming back to Canada was pretty fun too to meet new friends and French school was really nice.”"
You know, we’ve got our German goalie, Philipp Grubauer, Burakovsky who spend some of his childhood in Austria, and now Alex Beaucage. We can make our own little Germania.
Beaucage played his first major juniors season for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the QMJHL in 2017-18. He did pretty well as a rookie — 37 points (13 goals, 24 assists) in 56 games. He did a lot better last season, earning 79 points (39 goals, 40 assists) in 68 games.
His coach with the Huskies, Mario Pouliot, said of his improvement:
"“He’s a big kid and he improved a lot. He’s moving his feet more and is more physical on the forecheck. He’s really good with the puck and he has improved on making plays in motion and attacking the net. And he’s really good on the power play.”"
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That all sounds very promising. It’s thought Beaucage will have to improve more in his skating before he gets to the level.
Beaucage himself said of the experience that it brought him “a lot of maturity” because he was playing more with older boys. Indeed, that experience may have helped him as he was drafted as one of the youngest players. That increased maturity from being around the older players helped him even think about being one of the youngest draftees.
It probably didn’t hurt that he was fresh off winning the Memorial Cup with the Huskies. In fact, Alex out up a point-a-game performance with Rouyn-Noranda in the playoffs.
Beaucage will be returning to the Quebec city this fall — I imagine after Colorado Avalanche’s rookie camp. Now, he’ll get to be one of the sage older boys on the team:
"“Going back to Rouyn-Noranda in the fall, I will have a bigger role. Our team will be younger, so it will be my role to be a leader on that team and help the younger guys on the team.”"
It wouldn’t be a summer post without some video. Here’s Burgundy Rainbow breaking down his play shift-by-shift:
Watch as young Alex nearly gets into a scuffle early on. Grit isn’t said to be part of his game, but his father played in a gritty league when the family returned to Trois-Rivières.
I liked what I saw from Alex Beaucage when I attended the Colorado Avalanche’s prospect development camp. I’d say he plays another year or two in the QMJHL. If he improves in his skating and seems to be developing well, he’ll probably sign an entry-level deal with Colorado and start with the Eagles.