Beckett Hamilton’s first NHL preseason game was only the latest step in what has been an impressive month for the Colorado Avalanche prospect.
From development camp to his time in San Jose and, finally, his first taste of NHL competition, the 18-year-old forward has steadily given the Avalanche more reasons to be excited about what he could become.
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Hamilton’s latest opportunity came Sunday at Ball Arena, where the Avalanche defeated the Utah Mammoth 4-1. Playing alongside established NHL talent, including Martin Necas, Hamilton scored his first preseason goal and showed enough of his offensive skill to leave another positive impression.
Hamilton opened the scoring at 8:54 of the second period after finding himself in the right place at the right time.
Utah defenseman Maveric Lamoureux attempted to clear the puck from the zone, but Necas knocked down the pass and immediately fed Hamilton. The young forward made no mistake, lifting the puck over the goaltender to give Colorado a 1-0 lead.
It was the kind of goal that came from simply staying involved in the play and refusing to let off the gas pedal.
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Hamilton may have looked overwhelmed at times by the pace, but he continued to push through it. Had he not kept battling, he likely would not have been in position to capitalize when the puck came his way.
That persistence has been a recurring theme throughout his time with the Avalanche this month.
Hamilton scored in Colorado’s 7-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks’ prospects on Sept. 12 before finding the net in the shootout against the Vegas Golden Knights’ rookies two days later. Vegas ultimately won 6-5, leaving Colorado with a 1-0-1 record at the tournament.
New Colorado Eagles head coach Jussi Ahokas was behind the bench for those games and came away impressed with what he saw from Hamilton.
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“I think he’s really skilled,” Ahokas said. “He finds plays. [He’s] creative.”
Those qualities have continued to stand out as Hamilton has moved through each stage of his first experience with the Avalanche organization. His offensive instincts have been noticeable, but so has his willingness to stay involved when things don’t necessarily go his way.
That caught the attention of Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar as well.
“He’s a young kid,” Bednar told Colorado Hockey Now’s Aarif Deen and other reporters Tuesday. “He’s got top-nine potential, I think. That’s what he has. He’s a skilled player.”
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Bednar also wanted Hamilton to experience the difference between playing against younger competition and trying to make plays against established NHL players.
That’s why the Avalanche put him on a line with players such as Necas, who’s coming off his first 100-point season in the league.
“I wanted to play with some skill and I wanted to play against other teams’ top guys, so he could kind of feel like where he needs to grow and what he’s got,” Bednar said.
Hamilton got a firsthand look at that difference Sunday.
“You could tell in the game that everything was happening fast for him,” Bednar said.
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There were moments when Hamilton appeared to be processing the game rather than reacting to it.
“Sometimes it gets a little quick for him,” Bednar said. “You can see him thinking and not reacting. And he was the same way in the game.”
That’s just a part of the process, but what carried significant weight for the Avalanche was that Hamilton continued to compete, found ways to create offense and made the most of his opportunity.
Bednar said the coaching staff, including Ahokas, was impressed with what Hamilton showed in San Jose, where he stood out as a noticeable impact player. That carried into training camp, where the young forward continued to make an impression.
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“I talked to Jussi about him, and everyone raved about his rookie camp,” Bednar said. “So I thought he did a nice job in practices.”
Now, that first stretch with the Avalanche is over for Hamilton.
The club reassigned him Tuesday morning to the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels, where he’ll continue his development after making the most of his opportunity in Colorado.
Bednar said Hamilton is aware that there is still work to do before he’s ready for the NHL.
“He’s got a good head on his shoulders,” Bednar said. “I think he’s aware that he’s a little ways away from getting to the NHL.”
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That’s not necessarily a bad thing.
“It was nice to see him score in his first game,” Bednar said. “We send him off back to junior on a good note and a good experience in training camp.”
For Hamilton, it’s an opportunity to continue growing his game and take the next step in his development. For the Avalanche, the focus remains on winning another Stanley Cup, but they may have another promising depth piece on the way.
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