By Isabella Disley
In the end, the light at the end of the tunnel could not have shone brighter for Quinn Beauchesne during his 2024-25 hockey season.
The 18-year-old defenceman from Ottawa had only played four games before an injury knocked him out of the Guelph Storm’s next seven Ontario Hockey League contests. Then in February, he was literally knocked out by a scary hit to the head from Luca Pinelli of the Ottawa 67’s.
Beauchesne missed another three weeks, and although he did get back in the lineup to play 49 of Guelph’s 68 total games while scoring six goals and 18 assists from the back end, his Storm finished outside of the playoffs by eight points.
But on the horizon was the possibility that he could get to wear the maple leaf for the third time in his career, and for the first time at an official IIHF world championship.
“I was just praying I was going to get invited” to Team Canada’s training camp in advance of the Apr. 23-May 3 U18 men’s hockey worlds in Texas, Beauchesne recalls. “I think it’s something everyone in their draft year hopes they can do, is at the end of the year, go play for your country. I was lucky enough to get that invite and to end the season on a positive note.”
After winning four pool games by no less than four goals, Canada endured one heart-stopping moment in the quarter-final round when they needed an overtime goal to pull past Czechia, but then returned to dominant form for 4-0 and 7-0 shutout victories over Slovakia and Sweden to earn the world championship.
“It’s really something special for us and the country,” Beauchesne underlines. “It’s always an honour being able to put on that Canadian jersey. It’s now the third time I’ve been able to do it, and we’ve been able to come away with gold twice. Being a world champion is a surreal feeling, so kudos to our team and our staff.”
Beauchesne previously won gold with Canada’s summer U18 team at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and he was Canada Red’s captain at Hockey Canada’s 2023 World U17 Challenge, where he placed fifth following an overtime defeat to eventual champion Canada White in the quarters.
Beauchesne averaged 17:12 of ice time per game at his most recent global competition. He scored a goal and three assists, including one in the championship game, and had 16 shots on goal in Canada’s seven wins.
Beauchesne also finished in the tournament’s top-10 in plus-minus rating at +8 to help Canada to its second consecutive U18 world title. He followed in the footsteps of fellow local defender Henry Mews and forward Cole Beaudoin, who earned gold at the same site last season.
Read More: Cole Beaudoin & Henry Mews head into NHL draft with world U18 gold medals in hand
Before heading to the OHL, Beauchesne played locally for the Upper Canada Cyclones, followed by the Nepean Raiders in the Hockey Eastern Ontario U18 ‘AAA’ league and then in the Central Canada Hockey League.
“Growing up in Ottawa, both family and friends have just done such a good job at supporting me and being there for me through the good and the bad. I think I owe all my credit to the people that I’ve been around my whole life,” highlights Beauchesne, who enjoys spending his down time with family and friends, at the golf course, or carefully examining fantasy football statistics.
Before kicking off his OHL career, Beauchesne was also a part of an unforgettable gold medal win at the PEI 2023 Canada Winter Games, when he pulled Team Ontario to victory through a 28-minute sudden death 3-on-3 overtime.
Read More: Ottawa @ CWG Day 8: Local hockey players win gold after epic 28-minute 3-on-3 OT
The Storm’s 2023 first round draft pick (14th overall) was joined by fellow Guelph forward Lev Katzin and head coach Cory Stillman on the Canadian U18 team.
“That’s something a lot of people don’t get to experience, having their coach from their club team back home, getting to represent Team Canada with you,” Beauchesne indicates. “It was a really, really special moment for us to both be there and for all three of us to come home with gold, for Cory as a coach and for us as players, and I think it’s really cool for Guelph as well.”
Beauchesne picked up another prize at his club’s annual awards banquet, earning the Paul Fendley Scholastic Player of the Year Award.
“Throughout the years, my parents have done a really good job at helping me stay balanced and understand that both (hockey and school) are equally important,” says Beauchesne, who attended St. Francis Xavier Catholic High School in town. “I think if you put the effort into school, it’s going to translate to hockey and vice versa. I think learning how to manage my time has been really big for me, and putting in the effort, no matter what I’m doing.”
Despite his intellectual prowess, Beauchesne is not immune to following superstitions. Although he admits the science is lacking, he nonetheless downs a glass of “moon water” each morning to power his performance, which also earned him another (informal) award from his club for weirdest pre-game ritual.
Whatever the ingredients, Beauchesne’s overall formula has proven to be a winning one: he’s projected to be a third-round selection in the 2025 NHL entry draft, set for June 27-28 in Los Angeles.
He says that it would be of course be a thrill if his hometown team called his name and he mentions he likes cheering for the Edmonton Oilers, but he’s not feeling at all picky about what his next destination may be.
“However it plays out in late June, I’ll be really happy. I think no matter what happens, just keep working and keep pursuing dreams. I’m looking forward to wherever I end up,” smiles Beauchesne, adding that the gold medal win has given him a boost.
“It just brings some momentum heading into the summer,” he notes. “It gives you that extra bit of confidence going into the summer and the summer training.”