Nathan Beaulieu

Nathan Beaulieu
Beaulieu with the Montreal Canadiens in January 2015
Born	December 5, 1992 Strathroy, ON, CAN
Height	6 ft 1.25 in (186 cm)
Weight	194 lb (88 kg; 13 st 12 lb)
Position	Defence
Shoots	Left
NHL team	Montreal Canadiens
NHL Draft	17th overall, 2011 Montreal Canadiens
Playing career	2012–present

Nathan Anthony Richard Beaulieu (born December 5, 1992) is a Canadian ice hockey player who is currently playing for the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected 17th overall in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens. Beaulieu helped the Sea Dogs capture the 2011 Memorial Cup, and was named to the tournament's all-star team.

Playing career

Beaulieu was drafted by the Saint John Sea Dogs in the fourth round (68th overall) of the 2008 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) Midget Draft.^[1] When he started his career with the Sea Dogs in 2008, his father, Jacques was the team's head coach. His father was fired by the team and replaced with Gerard Gallant in 2009, an incident which caused Beaulieu to consider leaving the team. He decided to remain with Saint John after speaking with Gallant.^[2]

During the 2010–11 QMJHL season, Beaulieu established himself as a top prospect for the 2011 National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft, and was nominated for the Mike Bossy Trophy, awarded to the league's top professional prospect.^[3] He lost the award to Sean Couturier.^[4] Beaulieu was ranked fifth among North American skaters by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau in their final rankings, an improvement from his mid-season ranking of ninth.^[5] Saint John captured the QMJHL league championship and moved on to the 2011 Memorial Cup. Beaulieu scored the winning goal in the team's first game of the tournament against the host Mississauga Majors.^[2] The Sea Dogs met the Majors again in the championship game of the tournament and won 3-1, to capture the Memorial Cup. After the tournament, Beaulieu was named to the Memorial Cup All-Star Team.^[6] The Sea Dogs win was the second Memorial Cup win for the Beaulieu family, as Jacques was an assistant coach with the London Knights when they won in 2005.^[7]

Beaulieu made his professional debut in the 2012–13 season, with the Canadiens AHL affiliate, the Hamilton Bulldogs. He later played his first NHL game with the Montreal Canadiens on March 30, 2013.

Personal Life

Assault Charges

On April 27, 2013, Beaulieu, along with his father Jacques, were charged with assault against brothers-in-law David VanGeffen and Wesley Vanderwal in Strathroy, Ontario. The incident took place following a charity golf tournament at the home of Denton Hackney, where Nathan had been playing hockey in a large detached garage, and was alleged to have broken hockey equipment belonging to Hackney's kids.

Vanderwal had taken offence to this, and had asked Nathan to stop. As a result, Vanderwal was confronted by Jacques Beaulieu, who had grabbed him and was punched eight times in the face in the process. Vanderwal had escaped to his pick-up truck, and arrived home a short time later.

VanGeffen reported that he was assaulted as a result of not releasing Vanderwal's address to the Beaulieus, who had "rag-dolled him around the garage" before being subsequently punched under the right eye by the younger Beaulieu. Police were called, and the Beaulieus were charged at the Strathroy-Caradoc police station the next day. Vanderwal was bruised under the left eye and had a broken blood vessel in the eye. He also had a sore neck and scratches to his neck. VanGeffen was scratched under the right eye, and experienced soreness to his chest and wrist and scratches to both hands.^[8][9]

In June 2013, Beaulieu and his father plead guilty to assault. Each was assessed penalties of conditional discharges with nine months' probation -- a joint recommendation from the Crown and the defence.^[10][11]

International play

Beaulieu in January 2012
Medal record
Representing Canada
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
	2012 Canada

Beaulieu participated at the 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships held in Canada and won the bronze medal.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2008–09	Saint John Sea Dogs	QMJHL		49	2	8	10	14		4	0	0	0	2
2009–10	Saint John Sea Dogs	QMJHL		66	12	33	45	40		21	4	12	16	22
2010–11	Saint John Sea Dogs	QMJHL		65	12	33	45	52		19	4	13	17	26
2011–12	Saint John Sea Dogs	QMJHL		53	11	41	52	100		17	4	11	15	32
2012–13	Hamilton Bulldogs	AHL		67	7	24	31	63		—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		6	0	2	2	0		—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	Hamilton Bulldogs	AHL		57	7	20	27	33		—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		17	0	2	2	8		7	0	2	2	2
2014–15	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		64	1	8	9	45		5	0	1	1	0
2014–15	Hamilton Bulldogs	AHL		8	2	2	4	9		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				87	1	12	13	53		12	0	3	3	2

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2009	Canada Atlantic	WHC17	9th		5	0	2	2	4
2012	Canada	WJC			6	0	1	1	16
Junior totals					11	0	3	3	20

Awards and honours

Award	Year	Ref
CHL Memorial Cup All-Star Team	2011	[12]
QMJHL President's Cup Championship	2011, 2012
Memorial Cup Championship	2011	[13]
IIHF World U20 Championship Bronze Medal	2012

References

1. "Nathan Beaulieu". Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Retrieved 2011-06-03.
2. Klinkenberg, Marty (2011-05-23). "Beaulieu in pursuit of rare father/son accomplishment". Telegraph Journal. Canada East. Retrieved 2011-06-03.
3. Morreale, Mike G. (2011-03-22). "QMJHL Announces finalists for Golden Puck Awards". National Hockey League. Retrieved 2011-06-03.
4. Beacon, Bill (2011-04-07). "Islanders, Rocket goalie among QMJHL award winners". The Guardian. Retrieved 2011-06-03.
5. "Beaulieu, Nathan". National Hockey League. Retrieved 2011-06-03.
6. "MasterCard Memorial Cup Individual Award Winners". Canadian Hockey League. 2011-05-29. Retrieved 2011-06-03.
7. "Strathroy's Nathan Beaulieu part of Memorial Cup team". Strathroy Age Dispatch. 2011-06-01. Retrieved 2011-06-03.
8. "Montreal Canadiens prospect, dad plead guilty to assault charges". Brantford Expositor. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
9. "Montreal Canadiens prospect Nathan Beaulieu facing two assault charges". The London Free Press. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
10. "Montreal Canadiens prospect, dad plead guilty to assault charges". Brantford Expositor. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
11. "Canadiens prospect Nathan Beaulieu pleads guilty to assault". The Canadian Press. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
12. "Memorial Cup All-Star Teams". Memorial Cup. 2012-03-04. Retrieved 2012-03-04.
13. "Strathroy's Nathan Beaulieu part of Memorial Cup team". Strathroy Age Dispatch. 2011-06-01. Retrieved 2011-06-03.

External links

• Nathan Beaulieu's career statistics at EliteProspects.com
• Nathan Beaulieu's career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database