Beau Jelsma

July 2022 – Jelsma went unselected in the 2022 NHL Draft. Nick Richard

May 2022 – Jelsma had a solid first OHL season with the Barrie Colts, registering 27 goals and 20 assists in 68 games while averaging just over 16 minutes of ice time per game.

A strong skater who plays with energy on every shift, Jelsma makes life difficult on opposing defenders with his relentless pace of play. He has a technically sound stride with a quick first step and he is able to accelerate quickly in and out of space. His footwork allows him to stay fluid and quickly change directions or position himself to make a play on a contested puck. Jelsma has a knack for getting to the right place at the right time and his body control stands out as he works for scoring opportunities in close. He is an opportunistic player, not only because of his skills around the opposing net but in the way that he is able to quickly turn opposing mistakes into chances for his team. He is constantly pushing the pace, taking intelligent routes on the forecheck and keeping defenders on their heels off the rush. Jelsma also has a decent shot that can come off his blade with deceptive power from a variety of hand positions. I’m not convinced he will be a huge scoring threat from the outside at the next level but his release is good enough to capitalize when he is presented with a good look. Despite his lack of size, he is willing to engage physically on the forecheck to disrupt opposing possessions. Jelsma is a diligent player in all three zones and even lines up for the occasional key faceoff, displaying some defensive versatility. In the right situation, he could develop into a middle-six scoring winger who can also fill a defensive, energy role at the NHL level and he should hear his name called fairly early on day two of the 2022 draft. Nick Richard