Draft: Countdown #14 - Nathan Beaulieu

Continuing with our draft countdown (but not an indication of our final rankings), here is number 14:

14. Nathan Beaulieu
Position: Defenseman
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 165 lbs
Shoots: Left
DOB: December 12th, 1992
Nationality: Canadian
2010-2011 Team: Saint John Sea Dogs
League: Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
Stats: 65 GP, 12 G, 33 A, 45 P, 52PIM

AT: Beaulieu has had quite the rise this year. Some mock drafts have had him going as high as 5 at some points. Central Scouting has him ranked as their #5 ranked North American skater. Playing on the Memorial Cup winning Saint John Sea Dogs, Beaulieu was surrounded by a very powerful cast. He was the QB for Saint John's PP and very efficient in doing so. He's a quick skater, has a good shot and sees the ice better than most do. His D-game is also very solid and has been reported to exhibit above average gap control. He is also known for being cocky and confident, which could both scare or entice teams to him.

I do not see Beaulieu as being the player the Isles should pick. Calvin De Haan has shown huge strides in juniors and seems to be somewhat similar in play. He seems to be the PP QB of the future for this team. Beaulieu would be redundant. In addition I don't see Beaulieu being ready for the NHL for a good 2-3 years. He needs to strengthen up and improve his game before making the jump to the NHL. My best guess is Beaulieu going between 12-17. His great play in the playoffs and Memorial Cup may increase his stock to a place it should not be.

CH: There's no doubt that Beaulieu is a very good prospect, but I don't think he is the answer for the Islanders at number 5 overall. If the Islanders end up drafting a forward at #5 and he slides a bit, I would like to see them trade up to get him. No question he's not ready to make the jump, so they could potentially let him continue to develop at Saint John and call him up when he's ready. Alex makes a great point about the development of Calvin de Haan, but nothing is proven so if the Isles would like to add another high-end puck moving defenseman in this draft, I'd have no problem with it.

Most likely to be drafted: 10-25