Blackhawks trade former first-round pick to Predators

Forward Anthony Beauvillier is on the move for the second time this season, heading from the Blackhawks to the Predators, per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reports that Nashville is sending Chicago a 2024 fifth-round pick in return.

The Blackhawks brought in Beauvillier in November, parting with a fifth-round pick of their own to acquire him from the Canucks. The 26-year-old is in the final season of a three-year, $12.45M contract with a $4.15M cap hit. There’s been no indication that Chicago is retaining part of Beauvillier’s salary.

Beauvillier had a short but difficult tenure in Chicago, missing most of the last two months with a wrist injury. He potted six points in 23 games while averaging 14:22 per game, a slight uptick from the 13:39 per game he saw through the first 22 games of the season with Vancouver.

The one-time 20-goal scorer is now on his fourth team in the past two seasons after heading from the Islanders to the Canucks at last year’s deadline in the Bo Horvat trade. 

He looked decent in a middle-six role with Vancouver after the trade, posting 20 points in 33 games, but struggled to carry over his momentum and had only two goals and eight points in 22 games to begin this season.

In Nashville, Beauvillier reunites with former Isles head coach Barry Trotz, now the Predators GM. 

He’s a more experienced option for Nashville to insert in their middle six down the stretch and carries much more offensive upside than current third-line left wing Mark Jankowski, whom he could replace in the lineup alongside Luke Evangelista and the newly extended Thomas Novak for a more formidable depth scoring line.

Chicago’s four months of Beauvillier’s services end up being a wash, parting with the acquisition cost in Thursday’s trade. 

The Predators had a massive $37.2M figure in deadline cap space, so taking on the entirety of Beauvillier’s cap hit is no issue, considering he’ll hit the UFA market this summer if not re-signed by Nashville.