When he moved from the Vancouver Canucks to the Chicago Blackhawks, forward Anthony Beauvillier left a team headed to the playoffs and ended up at the bottom of the league.
However, the Quebecer, who could become a free agent at the end of this season, will have the opportunity to do much more with his new club.
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“In Vancouver they have a lot of depth and that [Beauvillier] “I didn’t have a lot of minutes,” analyzed Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson, whose comments were reported by the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper.
“Some of their big players have performed really well since the start of the season, which meant there was no time for him on the power play.”
This isn't the case in Chicago, as Beauvillier shares the ice with one Connor Bedard when the Hawks play with an extra man.
In five games with his new team, the Sorel native only scored one goal. Regardless, Richardson likes what he sees from who his organization got in return for a fifth-round pick in the 2024 draft.
“He’s good at putting the puck in an area where he can use his speed to get it himself,” the pilot said. Defensively, he knows exactly what he has to do. He is able to play with more offensive players but also be in the right spots in his zone. It's always a good thing to have. We will be able to use it in all sauces.”
That's the kind of thing a player looking for a new deal needs to like to hear.