The Chicago Blackhawks filled one of their open roster spots on Tuesday night, reportedly acquiring Anthony Beauvillier from the Vancouver Canucks.
Vancouver is reportedly receiving a fifth-round pick from the Blackhawks in exchange.
Beauvillier, 26, was a former first-round pick (28th overall) of the New York Islanders in the 2015 NHL Draft. He’s played in 512 games across eight NHL seasons, scoring 102 goals with 107 assists. Most of that time was spent with the Islanders organization, although he was traded to Vancouver last season before reportedly being shipped to Chicago now.
Through 22 games this season, Beauvillier has 8 points (2 G, 6 A) while averaging 13:39 of ice time. The most appealing part of this trade for the Canucks is that it frees up the $4.15 million in cap space that Beauvillier was carrying in the final year of his three-year deal, and he’ll be an unrestricted free agent next summer.
With Corey Perry on his way out and Taylor Hall sidelined for the season, the Blackhawks desperately needed some help at forward. In 82 games split between New York and Vancouver last season, he scored 40 points (18 G, 22 A). Beauvillier’s best rate of production came in 2019-20, when he had 39 points (18 G, 21 A) in 68 games during that pandemic-shortened season.
Beauvillier isn’t going to arrive in Chicago and set the NHL on fire, but it’s a body the team desperately needed to add shore up the team’s dwindling forward depth.