New York Rangers fans are fast becoming familiar with Cole Beaudoin. The former Utah Mammoth first-round pick has drawn praise for his work ethic and grit. One prospect expert even referred to his ‘mutant’ strength. Other prospect experts wonder if Cole Beaudoin’s NHL chances are being underestimated this season.
The Rangers acquired Beaudoin along with right-handed defenseman Sean Durzi and a third-round draft pick in 2027 in return for center Vincent Trocheck. The trade, in many respects, is an attempt to thread the needle. The Rangers’ acquisition of Durzi, expected to play on the second pair, is about the team’s chances in 2026-27. Beaudoin, however, was a pivot towards improving the team’s long-term center health.
Steven Ellis, prospect writer for The Daily Faceoff, suggested Beaudoin might be closer to the NHL than people realize. He wrote, in part:
“I don’t think it will take him long to be NHL-ready – he could legitimately force his way onto New York’s bottom line immediately out of camp. Realistically, though, the 2026 OHL playoff MVP and CHL sportsman of the year winner should spend the year flying up Hartford’s lineup.”
What are Cole Beaudoin’s NHL Chances in 2026-27?
Ellis might have a point. Beaudoin may not be considered a future first- or second-line center, but he might not be far off from being an effective third- or fourth-line center. Beaudoin dominated at the OHL level last season. The 6-foot-2, 212-pound center finished in the top 10 in scoring with 88 points in 54 games, including 33 goals. Beaudoin scored 29 points in 15 playoff games, as Barrie fell to Kitchener in the OHL Championship. Scoring at the junior level is not everything, but Beaudoin proved he was among the class of the league. He was the 2026 OHL playoff MVP even in defeat.
Simultaneously, the New York Rangers’ prospect pool behind Beaudoin is thin down the middle. The team signed 26-year-old Joe Veleno, formerly of Montreal, Chicago and Detroit, to a one-year deal worth $1.2 million. Veleno offers very little offensively. It will be up to him to hold off Beaudoin. Other forwards Tye Kartye, Jaroslav Chmelar and Matt Rempe will have a leg up on beating out Beaudoin for a spot as well. The gap, though, is not massive.
The New York Rangers have been very clear that the organization isn’t interested in a traditional rebuild. That would potentially harm Cole Beaudoin’s NHL chances. On the one hand, Beaudoin playing his way onto the team would be a result of merit. There’s no problem with that. Conversely, the Rangers probably could get more out of Beaudoin by letting him acclimate to pro hockey for at least part of a season, seeing how he fares for a revamped Hartford Wolf Pack team in the AHL.
Cole Beaudoin Should Start in the AHL
The Rangers haven’t had the best track record developing prospects. The organization, pre-dating the hiring of general manager Chris Drury, had issues developing top-10 picks like center Lias Andersson (No. 7 in 2017) and winger Vitali Kravtsov (No. 9 in 2018). Under Drury, they struggled to develop first-round pick Brennan Othmann (No. 16 in 2021). Some of this could be a result of bad drafting, potentially. Still, even the consensus picks — Kaapo Kakko (No. 2 in 2019) and Alexis Lafreniere (No. 1 in 2020) — struggled with the Rangers.
Most notably, Brett Howden has become a playoff dynamo with the Vegas Golden Knights. The one-time Tampa first-round pick arrived in New York as part of the generally disliked trade that sent Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller to Tampa in 2018. Howden showed early promise. He forced his way onto the team much earlier than expected. He was adequate as a 20-year-old, scoring 23 points in 66 games while averaging 14:56 per night. Primarily in a third-line center role, Howden struggled through his first three seasons. Ultimately, the Rangers dealt him to Vegas for a draft pick in hopes of accelerating their timeline. It worked, as the Rangers made the playoffs the next three seasons.
The downside, of course, is Howden turning into a legitimate playoff wagon in Vegas. Howden has scored 23 goals in 62 career playoff games for the Golden Knights, including 14 in their 22-game run last season. The Rangers should prefer history not repeat itself. As a result, they should self-impose limits on Cole Beaudoin’s NHL chances.
Beaudoin’s Not the Only Young Ranger Impressing Ellis
Certainly, no two players’ stories are identical. Yet Howden and Beaudoin share quite a bit of prospect DNA, and it’s not wild to think that the Rangers see Beaudoin as a second shot at Brett Howden. In that case, they should start Beaudoin in the AHL, where he could find himself playing with a legitimate youth movement under new head coach Jay Leach.
Ellis had more praise than one might expect for a Rangers farm system that is often at the center of fan complaint. Notably, the Rangers only recently pivoted towards more long-term goals as part of their ‘retool.’ Similar to their rivals on Long Island, the Rangers might have a bevy of young talent set to smash that NHL threshold.
Ellis called himself a ‘believer’ on winger Liam Greentree, acquired in the Artemi Panarin trade. He also had high praise for Alberts Smits, drafted fifth overall in June by the Rangers. Winger Malcolm Spence, set to enter his sophomore season at Michigan, drew some of the most notable praise from Ellis.
“There’s so much to love about the way he’s always buzzing and annoying everyone out there, while being productive to keep himself high in a lineup. I think he will be one heck of a middle-six player, at the very least, and a guy who’ll make everyone around him better and more competitive thanks to his presence.”
The New York Rangers have a problem in terms of premium prospects, which is particularly noteworthy at center. Cole Beaudoin’s NHL chances may be better than expected this season, but he’s not likely to solve that problem for the Rangers.
NY Rangers Prospect Cole Beaudoin Could ‘Force’ Way to NHL This Fall