January 26, 2010 E-MAIL PRINT

Quinnipiac's Beaudoin juggles responsibilities

by Alan Ginsberg/

Jean-Marc Beaudoin (photo: Quinnipiac)

Jean-Marc Beaudoin (photo: Quinnipiac)

Editor's note: This article originally appeared in the January 2010 issue of New England Hockey Journal.

Most college hockey players will tell you they have responsibilities. Forechecking. Killing penalties. Cycling through the zone.

They even have commitments off the ice. Classes, for one. Social obligations.

Then there is Quinnipiac senior forward and captain Jean-Marc Beaudoin. He does all those things. But he is also past his second wedding anniversary. And, on Oct. 7, he and his wife Candace had a son, Roddy.

“Obviously, your responsibilities change a little bit,” Beaudoin said. “The focus is definitely off me and onto little Roddy there, but it’s special, to bring a little baby to life, and to share that with your wife is just amazing. …I wouldn’t change that for the world.”

That’s not to say that Beaudoin has neglected his hockey responsibilities. He missed the season-opening trip to Ohio State the weekend Roddy was born, two weeks early. That weekend, the Bobcats swept then-No. 17 Ohio State to make a national ripple. And he rejoined the team for its next game and has since led Quinnipiac into the top 10 and the top spot in ECAC Hockey.

“He’s been the same,” Quinnipiac coach Rand Pecknold said. “He’s always been mature beyond his years and he’s the same Jean-Marc. Certainly, he’s got more responsibilities, but he’s always handled everything he’s needed to do.”

Indeed, that maturity is reflective of what Pecknold considers Beaudoin’s biggest asset.

“His main strength is his character. He’s just through the roof on the character scale,” said Pecknold. “I always say A-plus-plus-plus, just a phenomenal young man and (he) always does the right thing if someone’s watching him or if no one’s watching him. He’s also, because of that, really evolved into a great leader.”

Unlike his newborn son, Beaudoin doesn’t have to scream to make a point.

“It’s a real simple way that he handles things,” said Pecknold. “He just pulls guys aside. He’s such an impressive person that people listen to him.”

Beaudoin’s leadership earned him recognition as an assistant captain as a sophomore. Pecknold, in his 16th season, doesn’t think he’d ever had a sophomore wear a letter before that. Thus, it was no surprise when Beaudoin was named captain this season.

“It was a no-brainer,” Pecknold said. “I let the guys vote, but it was whether or not he was going to be unanimous or miss by one vote.”

He did not miss — and it’s paid off for the Bobcats (13-3-1), who have surged early despite having 13 freshmen on their roster.

“Jean-Marc’s leadership has been one of the most important reasons for our success,” Pecknold said. “You’ve got to have a great captain when you have that many freshmen.”

Beaudoin, a native of St. Paul, Alb., leads in other ways, too. His five goals and 14 points are fourth on the team. As a junior, he was third in Division 1 with four short-handed goals, after recording a pair the previous year.

“In the past, I didn’t get a lot of power-play time,” he said, “so I thought it’d be a great opportunity because it seems like the other team kind of takes it easy on the power play.”

“Once we get in transition, if we do come up with the puck, I want him to go,” Pecknold said.

Beaudoin also spurred Quinnipiac’s 10-game unbeaten streak — the longest in the school’s Division 1 history — during his sophomore season, leading the Bobcats with 10 assists during the run and collecting 13 points, including five multiple-point outings in the last six games.

As a junior, he and senior Bryan Leitch became the first pair of Bobcats to each record a pair of goals in the same two consecutive games. Following the season, Beaudoin earned both the 7th Player Award, which is given to the individual who has shown the most growth as a member of the hockey team in his time at Quinnipiac, and the Coaches Award, which is presented to the student-athlete who exemplifies everything that Quinnipiac men’s hockey embodies. He also earned the team’s inaugural Academic Award for carrying its highest grade-point average.

“He’s going to be successful at whatever he does. He has a chance to play pro hockey at some level,” Pecknold said. “You always say those things in high school, most likely to succeed. To me, he’s got that label next to his name in my book. … He’ll be good at whatever he decides he wants to do in life.”

Beaudoin plans to take his hockey career as far as he can, but he and his growing family are focused on the Quinnipiac experience right now.

“(Roddy) has got pretty much his own family out here,” Beaudoin said. “He’s got 30 uncles and however many grandmas from the faculty to staff. The community has been just awesome in that respect.”

Then again, it seems Roddy — who comes to every game — is less impressed.

“Most of the time, he’s sleeping,” Beaudoin said. “I don’t know if it’s the noise that just knocks him out or what.”

Alan Ginsberg can be reached at feedback@hockeyjournal.com.

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