The Barrie Colts are now 24 games into their 2023–24 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) season and currently sit in eighth place in the Eastern Conference. The team’s record is 11-13-0-0 for 22 points on the season thus far, and as of now, they occupy the last playoff spot in the conference. However, in this article, we are going to put the spotlight on two Colts players in particular, forwards Cole Beaudoin and Eduard Šalé.
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Both players have had a great impact on the team this season, especially with the number of injuries that have occurred in the last few weeks for the team. That list includes Jordan Frasca, Oliver Savard, Bode Stewart, and Beau Akey, and they also have been without Jack Brauti, who was serving a two-game suspension. This has forced players to step up in the lineup, and Beaudoin and Šalé have done that for the club.
Future First Rounder: Cole Beaudoin
Yes, you read that correctly. The Colts have a potential future first-round draft pick on their team this season. Beaudoin is expected to fall somewhere around 31, according to Dobber Prospects rankings. which means he could hear his name called at the Sphere in Las Vegas during the 2024 NHL Draft. According to the Hockey Writers very own Peter Baracchini, he has him slated to go at pick 27 in his preseason draft rankings, in which he had this to say about his play: “He’s always going to the dirty areas of the ice to constantly battle for the puck and isn’t afraid to get in and establish a forecheck with his speed and positioning.” Unfortunately for Beaudoin and other prospects, things are always changing, and he could find himself going right at the very end of the first to early second round.
Beaudoin has played very well this season; he has 10 goals and eight assists for 18 points in 24 games. He is projected to finish with 28 goals, 23 assists, and 51 points over the full 68-game season. One of his strengths is definitely his size; he is 6-foot-2 and 201 pounds and loves to use every inch of it. He forechecks hard and disrupts the opponent by knocking them off the puck. He also never gives up when battling for puck position, which makes him hard to play against.
Related: 2024 NHL Draft: Baracchini’s Top 32 Preseason Rankings
He is the type of player that will make a serviceable third member in a top-six forward line, similar to what Matthew Knies or Zach Hyman did for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Regardless of when he is selected, he has the potential to be a very good NHL player for many years to come.
Seattle Kraken Prospect: Eduard Šalé
A native of Brno, Czechia, Šalé made the jump to the OHL after playing for his hometown HC Kometa Brno of the Czech Extraliga at the start of the 2023–24 season. The Colts head coach and general manager (GM) had this to say about Šalé finally committing to play for his club: “When we drafted Eduard originally, we knew it would take some time before he would come to North America. It’s always exciting as a coach to add a player of his calibre to our lineup. Our entire coaching staff is looking forward to welcoming him to Barrie and helping him continue his development here.”
Šalé seems to have found a home with the Colts’ organization; he is one of the go-to players for Williamson, especially on the power play, where he may be the most deadly as a player. His style of play suits the team’s powerplay; he gets a lot of touches and most times is the high forward that rotates up to the point, similar to what William Nylander does for the Maple Leafs. So far this season, Šalé has seven goals and 14 assists for 21 points in 23 games. He is projected to finish the season with 20 goals and 41 assists for 61 points in 67 OHL games. This would be the second most points he has scored in a season in his career, the first being the 2021–22 season with HC Kometa Brno U20, where he scored 89 points in 39 games.
Related: Barrie Colts Weekly: Akey and Frasca’s Injuries & a Comeback Win
I had the chance to talk to Šalé about his experience so far with the Colts and the North American style of game, to which he said, “This is like smaller ice, and it’s still a generous league. There is more skating and lots of tactics; I think it is a faster game; everyone can skate everywhere.” Over the 23 games that Šalé has played in, you can tell that he has fully adapted to the team’s systems and is becoming more familiar with the North American game. Which will only help him through his journey, with the next stop in said journey most likely being the Coachella Valley Firebirds of the American Hockey League (AHL).
Overall, both Beaudoin and Šalé have impressed me, their teammates, and the fan base so far this season. If they can keep this up and help the club collect wins, they could find themselves competing in the 2024 OHL Playoffs. There are more Colts players that we will get to this season, such as Beau Jelsma and Connor Punnett, but for now, let’s give Beaudoin and Šalé their time to shine in Barrie.
