Guelph Storm rookie Quinn Beauchesne has scored his first career OHL goal, and it is very well-deserved given the rollercoaster of a season he has had.
In a 5-1 Guelph Storm win on Thursday night, rookie Quinn Beauchesne scored his very first career OHL goal which stood up as the game-winning goal.
Beauchesne certainly hasn't had the smoothest rookie season, but he is finally on the board with his first tap into the back of the net.
The 2007-born rookie defenceman has played in just 27 games this year for the Guelph Storm, due to an injury sustained at the Under-17 World Hockey Challenge back in the fall. He didn't play an OHL game from October 29th, 2023 to February 1st, 2024.
Beauchesne fractured his wrist in the third game of the tournament, where he was representing Canada as a top sixteen-year-old player in the country. Not only did this take him out for months, but the injury took one of Guelph's top defenceman.
Since Beauchesne returned to the lineup in early February, Guelph has regained one of their top-four defencemen. They seemed to have a hole in their lineup without Beauchesne on the back end, as rookies Rylan Singh and Grant Spada each played some time to attempt to fill the role. Singh has since taken on a full-time role.
Now, Beauchesne has his first in his major junior career.
Guelph selected Beauchesne 14th overall in the 2023 OHL Priority Selection. He played his minor hockey with the Nepean Raiders in the HEO, and he had 35 points in 28 games in his draft eligible season.
Beauchesne is a smooth skating, highly intelligent defender. He has high-end vision to find lanes that he can skate/pass into, and he takes advantage — just as he did with his first OHL goal. He's more of a two-way defender, but he is especially effective in transition and when entering the offensive zone. He can be creative, and will continue to prove that as he progresses in major junior.
The Ottawa, Ontario-native hasn't had the easiest path through his rookie season in the OHL, but Guelph has certainly needed him down the stretch and he has delivered. Expect Beauchesne to play big minutes in Guelph's postseason run, and be relied upon to create offensively from the back end.