Low-key trades can sometimes pack the biggest punch, and that’s what the Washington Capitals should get in their latest addition. This winger has been the NHL’s ultimate journeyman over the last few seasons, as the Caps will be his sixth team since 2022-23.
Yeah, Anthony Beauvillier’s worn a lot of jerseys since October 2022, but the fact he’s constantly on the move indicates that teams see value in him. Of course, the Pittsburgh Penguins season hasn’t gone according to plan, so making someone like Beauvillier expendable, a player who could fit into almost any contender’s bottom six, was a good call.
Plus, the Penguins got a second-round pick in 2025 for the deal, and the Caps managed to find an immediate replacement for Jakub Vrana, who is now with the Nashville Predators. It’s one of those trades that should give the Caps an immediate return while the Penguins look to accumulate draft picks in what should be a surefire rebuild.
Capitals were smart to trade for journeyman Anthony Beauvillier
Some may look at Beauvillier’s numbers and scoff, considering how invisible he became last season. After moving from the Vancouver Canucks to the Chicago Blackhawks, Beauvillier found himself playing for the least relevant team in the game and as one of the league’s most irrelevant players.
Things got no better when he wound up in Nashville and finished a 15-game regular season stint with just three points and a goal. Then, the Penguins took a chance on Beauvillier, who seemed to get rejuvenated with 13 goals and 20 points overall.
No, that’s not the best productivity in 63 games, but Beauvillier’s been getting a lot of pucks to the net, evidenced by his 120 shots on goal and 10.8 shooting percentage. This gives the already high-octane Capitals a great depth scoring option.
Anthony Beauvillier can provide more than depth scoring and that’s good news
Anthony Beauvillier has also rediscovered his hitter’s mentality with the Penguins, and when ‘playoff hockey’ begins not in April, but tonight, it’s something the Capitals and other contenders need. With 108 body checks already this season, Beauvillier’s ahead of the curve, and that number is sure to increase as the sense of urgency skyrockets and the Caps try to hang onto first place in the conference.
So, if I’m a Capitals fan, I’m glad to see Anthony Beauvillier in town to help this team get back into the playoffs and wreak some havoc., But, luckily for fans, he’ll be wreaking havoc the second he’s ready to roll in the lineup. And you can also count on Beauvillier to score his fair share of goals, too, even as Alex Ovechkin closes in on Wayne Gretzky’s record.
Expect to see Beauvillier in the lineup immediately, and expect his presence to create more opportunities at even strength, where he holds a Corsi For of 51.8, with 32 on-ice goals. Acquiring him may not have been a blockbuster move, but it was a necessary one. Beauvillier is in the final season of his contract, so this one may turn out to be a high-quality rental.