Anthony Beauvillier…is an offensive depth winger. His value comes from creating scoring chances for himself, with the main issue being that he has a lot of problems putting them into the net.
That’s how JFresh described the former first-round pick when he signed with the Penguins this summer.
Hmmmm.
Sounds an awful lot like a couple of players from our not-too-distant past, doesn’t it?
Dominik Simon skated fast, created scoring chances and drove offense (at least according to Corsi), but couldn’t finish. Through no real fault of his own, he became one of the most polarizing players in franchise history.
Jansen Harkins skated fast and…well…hustled. No need to hammer home his dearth of scoring.
Back to the present. Through three preseason games, spent pretty much stapled to Sidney Crosby’s hip, Anthony Beauvillier unleashed an impressive 11 shots on goal while compiling a stunning 64.94 Corsi and some outstanding underlying numbers.
Pretty much did everything but register on the scoresheet.
Again, sounds awfully familiar (cough…Simon).
We all have our fatal attractions…someone or something we just can’t resist. (I’m particularly fond of Reese’s Cups.) For Pens coach Mike Sullivan, it’s a Simon-Beauvillier type of player. He loves guys who fly around the ice and hustle and retrieve pucks, hey, those are important qualities to possess.
However, you also want a little meat with your potatoes, a hot sausage on your bun.
In hockey terms, goals and assists.
The jury’s still out on whether or not Beauvillier can provide that. Through his first seven seasons, the former Islanders mainstay averaged nearly 19 goals per 82-game slate while skating primarily in a top-six role.
Certainly solid production.
Last season he fell off a cliff, plummeting to just five goals in 60 games while bouncing from the Canucks to the Blackhawks and on to the Predators at the deadline. While embarking on a three-city tour in a little over three months must’ve been unsettling to say the least, the fact that he’s been on the move so much of late has to raise some red flags.
Another worrisome thread? His shooting percentage, once consistently in the low-to-mid teens, has sagged over the past few seasons to a rock-bottom low of 4.8 in 2023-24.
The good news? Beauvillier’s signed to a one-year prove-it deal, so we’re not tied to him long term should things not work out. He’s only 27, so he’s still in his prime. And, judging by the hop he’s displayed in training camp and preseason, the Quebec native seems determined to seize the opportunity and resurrect his career with the black and gold.
The bad news? Like the sailors and ships of lore lured into the rocky shore by the siren’s song, Sullivan may not be able to resist playing Beauvillier on Crosby’s line, even if the numbers aren’t there. In the process usurping a coveted slot that might be better filled by last season’s port side resident, Drew O’Connor, or uber-promising prospect Rutger McGroarty.
Sometimes you’re better off not putting players of a certain ilk in a coach’s tool kit. Let’s hope Kyle Dubas doesn’t learn that lesson the hard way.
Movin’ On
The Pens lost defenseman John Ludvig, who was claimed off waivers by the Avalanche yesterday.
I have mixed feelings. On one hand, I loved the kid’s aggressiveness and willingness to drop the gloves, even when physically overmatched. However, the naked truth is, he struggled mightily during his rookie season.
Perhaps in a very sheltered role, Ludvig’s an NHL defenseman. Anyway…hope he makes it.
On the flip side, Sam Poulin wasn’t claimed and joined the Baby Pens. While I like the type of player Sam is, I don’t think he fits Sullivan’s system. Nor do I think he’s going to get an opportunity here unless we jettison a bunch of veterans. Unlikely, barring a total meltdown.
Goalies Filip Larsson and Taylor Gauthier were assigned to Wilkes as well.
Hey all,
A quickie update. The Pens placed heavyweight forward Boko Imama (no surprise) and swing defenseman Sebastien Aho (more of a surprise) on waivers today.
Excluding the injured, we’re down to 24 players…one over the limit. We’re over the cap limit as well.
Some are expecting us to swing paper transactions, possibly involving Rutger McGroarty and Jack St. Ivany, to get down to the 23-man limit (and cap compliance) before using LTIR to redress the balance.
Rick
Also Rick,
I read on a different site, a site whose author is nothing short of a propaganda minister for Penguins’ management, finally wrote something interesting. He proposed that Dubas might find a trading partner for Puustenin. First let me say that I like this kid. He finds a way to be effective. I do wish he was a little taller but he is physically soild, just vertically challenged. And I have pushed to give him more TOI in the ‘burgh…. That never came.
Having said that, I am not against trading him for many reasons. Sullivan wouldn’t play him unless he walked on water like Geuntzel did but the young Finn would have to clear waivers to go down to WBS, so the team would lose him for nothing. Another thing against the RW is that he is small and this team needs size. Also, for Puustenin’s own sake, I would like to see him in an organization that is generally bigger than ours and would give him a chance. I only wish the former 7th round pick had been given the prime TOI he earned (compared to the Carter’s, Simon’s, McGinn’s, etc) so that Dubas could now be in a position to get something decent in return.
Hey Other Rick,
I just have a moment, but I couldn’t agree more about Puustinen. It’s almost like you read my mind.
I really like him as a player and think he brings a certain spark to the proceedings. And I do think he has latent scoring potential…maybe in the 10-15 goal range.
Having said that, I just don’t think there’s room for him right now…at least the way the team’s currently constructed. I, too, would like to see him go to a team that’s a little more heavy. One where his size and playing style might be a better fit and provide a nice complement.
If Puusti departs, I can absolutely see him torturing us and scoring every time he plays us…kind of like Conor Sheary did for the longest time.
Rick
Rick,
The long and short of it – YES! Beauvillier is the Simon 2.0, or worse. Take a look at Natural Stat Trick, Rick. Select said Simon look-a-like. Set the parameters to 5-on-5 and then look at Dubas’ attempt to create a clone of Simon. The first thing you will notice is that this journeyman has never been above 50% CORSI 5-on-5. The career 50.1% CORSI is his total CORSI including all special teams play, 5-on-5 Beauvillier’s CORSI is 47.2%. that 47.2% is all the more depressing when you look at his 5-on-5 O-Zone Start %, Corsby’s new flanker is always in the positives when it comes to starts but his 5-on-5 CORSi is in the negative. Also look at our Pens new millstones +/-, 5-on-5 for his career it is -7.
Beauvllier needs waived like the wrong Aho that was signed in the off-season. Maybe Crosby could carry the pylon to a statistically decent season, like he did for Simon for season after season, but at 37, the captain deserves wingers that can hold their own and not leech off him like the black-and-gold’s new parasite.
Finally, you chose the wrong adjective when discussing Beauvillier’s age. While 27 is young for someone on the street but as I have mentioned ad nauseum 27 is the end of a forward’s prime. A more accurate description of our new ersatz Winger is that he is already 27. I am glad his is only signed for a season.