Nathan Beaulieu earns four Bulldogs Awards April 25, 2013

It was a difficult campaign for the Hamilton Bulldogs, who finished last in the AHL standings.  The team iced a squad full of first year players (12 over the course of the season), so growing pains were to be expected. There were a few bright spots, however, especially in the form of rookie defenseman Nathan Beaulieu.

The Strathroy, Ontario native, who was the Montreal Canadiens first round pick in 2011 (17^th overall), finished the season tied for the team lead in points (31) with Gabriel Dumont. This performance earned the 20-year-old three other awards, including MVP, top defenseman (shared with Jarred Tinordi) and top rookie.

His excellent play throughout the year cumulated with a call-up to the NHL, where he performed admirably, posting 2 assists and a +5 rating in 6 matches with the Habs.

With the AHL season now complete, Beaulieu, along with seven other Hamilton teammates, have been added to Montreal’s playoff roster.  In a season of firsts, the offensively skilled D-man could very well make another one with a potential playoff debut.