Not every trade at the deadline will be a blockbuster. Sometimes these depth deals can still make an impact, however, as a team will acquire a player who takes a niche role on their roster and goes on to score one of those postseason goals that become engraved in that franchise’s history. Or that trade may just be for some insurance, which might be the case when the Nashville Predators acquired Anthony Beauvillier from the Chicago Blackhawks for a 2024 fifth-round pick.
It wasn’t that long ago that Beauvillier was considered a top offensive prospect in the NHL, but in recent years his development stalled due to injuries and inconsistency, which caused him to struggle to find his place in the league. Nashville will be the fourth team he’s played with since the start of the 2022-23 season, and his scoring totals aren’t anything to write home about during this time of uncertainty with just 14 points this season.
He also has 49 games of postseason experience, where he posted 15 goals and 49 points, which is more than you may expect. During the 2020 and 2021 playoffs, he was a dominant scorer, with his play being a reason why the New York Islanders reached back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals.
Predators Buy Low on Beauvillier
This move is a fascinating one by Nashville, as they gave up little to acquire a player with potential on their roster, but that potential will likely be limited even in the best-case scenario. At the height of his career, Beavillier was a 20-goal, 40-point scoring forward who wasn’t a game breaker, but a nice complimentary piece on the New York Islanders top-six. He earned that three-year, $12.45 million extension, after all, and that looked like a solid bridge deal to a larger contract at the time.
This potential is what the Predators are betting on. They know what Beauvillier is right now, and what he can be if they get his confidence back. No, he won’t be a game-breaker, but he could be a solid middle-six winger who chips in a few goals during a playoff run. Also, it’s worth noting that Nashville’s general manager, Barry Trotz, coached him in New York, so he has familiarity with the player and his skillset.
Plus, if things go terribly wrong and he fails to crack their lineup, they only gave up a fifth-round pick, which isn’t nothing but is pretty close for a team with so many assets. Nashville is being very shrewd with this trade, and while it may not be super exciting, it could be the type of deal that sets the team up for future playoff success without mortgaging any part of their future.
Grade: C+
Blackhawks Continue Flipping Players for Assets
On its own, this move is not very interesting for Chicago. They got a fifth-round pick for a player who started 23 games for them. This pick is unlikely to change the trajectory of their rebuild, and Beauvillier was likely gone this summer anyway in free agency, so it’s a simple move overall.
However, it’s worth noting that when they acquired Beauvillier from the Vancouver Canucks, this was a pure cap-dump move. Also, Chicago needed warm bodies at the time due to a rash of injuries, so it was a double benefit for them. They were paid a fifth-round pick for a player that they desperately needed to start games, got 23 games of service, and then turned that warm body into another fifth-round pick.
Overall, it’s not an exciting return, but it’s a pretty savvy move by the Blackhawks’ general manager Kyle Davidson. He turned a bit of cap space into two small assets, which is how you build out bigger moves in the future.
Grade: B
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