The New York Islanders’ start to the 2024-25 season has been a mixed bag. Production from the top six has been strong, but the depth has been historically bad, and there is a clear need to add reinforcements. Given the team’s lack of cap space, making a substantial change is unlikely, but that does not mean they will shy away from the trade market. Luckily, Anthony Beauvillier is available, and reuniting him with his best friend on Long Island is a perfect fit that could solve many of the team’s struggles and get them back on track to make the playoffs.
Beauvillier is a Former Islander
Bringing Beauvillier back to the Islanders is more than a fun idea. The 2015 first-round pick played 457 games on Long Island over seven seasons and scored 120 goals and 251 points. He notoriously scored the overtime winner in the Islanders’ Game 6 victory of the Eastern Conference Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2021 Playoffs.
Then in 2023, Beauvillier was traded to the Vancouver Canucks alongside a first-round pick and Aatu Raty for Bo Horvat. After stints with the Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks, and Nashville Predators, the 27-year-old has struggled to find a home like Long Island, and with the Pittsburgh Penguins struggling to start the 2024-25 season, it is time to bring him home.
Beauvillier is Cheap & Available
With news that Penguins general manager, Kyle Dubas, is listening to offers on “everyone but Sidney Crosby,” the path for the Islanders to swoop in and snag the former Islander is clear. The winger has five goals and one assist in seven games this season while averaging just over 12 minutes per game. He is getting minimal responsibilities, so the Penguins’ shift toward a younger roster makes him a likely trade candidate.
Additionally, Beauvillier should be easily obtainable. He is on a one-year contract worth just $1.25 million—a salary the Islanders can comfortably take on. With several players currently on long-term injured reserve, their cap hits are not an issue, and even when the roster is fully healthy, his contract would still fit within the team’s budget.
Islanders’ Historically Bad Depth
The Islanders have had a historically poor-performing bottom six to start the season, so adding a reliable, proven NHL forward would be a significant upgrade. The current bottom-six group includes Pierre Engvall, Casey Cizikas, Simon Holmstrom, Oliver Wahlstrom, Matt Martin, and Hudson Fasching. These players occupy the bottom seven spots on the Islanders in both goals percentage (G%) and expected goals percentage (xG%), according to MoneyPuck. The Engvall, Cizikas, and Holmstrom line, in particular, ranks third-worst in the NHL in xG% at 32.6%, having been outshot 64 to 45 in just 56 minutes together. The numbers are bad, the eye test is no better, and it is time for change.
Related: Revisiting the Islanders and Canucks Bo Horvat Trade
While the Islanders’ bottom six has struggled, this situation won’t last forever. With injuries to Mat Barzal and Anthony Duclair, Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Anders Lee have been promoted to the top six and have become key contributors. Alongside Horvat on the first line, this trio has achieved a 66.7 G%, a 48.6 xG%, and outshot opponents 77 to 74 over 76 minutes. They’ve been producing at a level similar to the Duclair, Horvat, and Barzal line from earlier in the season, which suggests that the current line configuration should remain.
Splitting Up Allows for 3 Lines
As Barzal and Duclair are expected to return in the coming weeks, they will need a new third linemate. The obvious choice might be to reunite them with Horvat, but the recent evidence suggests that might not be the best move.
Keeping the current top line intact would allow the Islanders to continue getting strong performances from Lee and Pageau, while Barzal, Duclair, and a new winger could form a fresh line and deeper lineup. The question of who that third winger should be is crucial, and Beauvillier is the answer.
HERE WE GO BEAU 💪 pic.twitter.com/W6XMcesGWr
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) November 14, 2024
If the Islanders maintain their current top-six lineup when Barzal and Duclair return, Engvall or Holmstrom would likely fill the open spot. However, that decision would be a mistake. Engvall has the speed needed for the role, but he struggles with finishing. Holmstrom, despite multiple opportunities in the top six, has yet to make a noticeable impact. Beauvillier, on the other hand, has a solid track record of stepping up in key moments, boasts strong analytics, has the necessary speed, and has established chemistry with Barzal.
Beauvillier’s Fit on the Islanders
According to NHL Edge, Beauvillier ranks in the 88th percentile among NHL skaters for speed bursts over 20 mph. Additionally, since NHL Edge started tracking top skating speed, he has consistently ranked around the 65th percentile. While he might not be as fast as Engvall, Beauvillier’s speed is still impressive and the rest of his skill set makes up for it, leaving him a strong fit alongside Barzal and Duclair.
Beauvillier also has strong advanced analytics. He ranks 40th in the NHL in even-strength expected goals per 60 minutes with 1.07. He would place third on the Islanders in this category, trailing only Brock Nelson (1.26) and Duclair (1.11. He would also rank third in goals per 60 minutes (1.35), seventh in points per 60 minutes (1.62), and ninth in xG% (51.2%). His stats are not career outliers, either, as he has consistently been around or above 50 xG% throughout his career, a metric with an incredibly strong correlation to sustainable team success.
Beauvillier’s Chemistry with Barzal
Not only would Beauvillier be a fit with the Islanders since he was formerly with the team, but he is also best friends with Barzal. In a 2018 interview with NHL.com’s Cory Wright, the two discussed how they were roommates at Team Canada’s Under-18 development camp and Beauvillier helped pack Barzal’s suitcase following an injury. From there, they became inseparable. Months after the tournament, they were each drafted by the Islanders in the first round of the 2015 NHL Draft and “jumped into each other’s arms when they met on the concourse” following Beauvillier’s selection at 28.
Related: Islanders’ Eiserman & Bednarik’s Bromance Reminiscent of Barzal & Beauvillier’s
Barzal is a unique player with a diverse skill set, and many have struggled to complement his style of play. However, Beauvillier knows Barzal better than anyone and would likely be able to enhance the line — at least better than most other options. If successful, the Islanders would have three elite forward lines, a recipe for success. If not, Beauvillier could be moved to a different forward line and potentially let go next offseason.
Blueprinting a Beauvillier Trade
Beauvillier’s value is likely very low, which makes a trade more plausible. The Penguins are nearing a point where he could be placed on waivers, but the Islanders could act quickly to acquire him before that happens, potentially sending a young roster player like Oliver Wahlstrom or Samuel Bolduc in exchange. If Dubas isn’t interested in taking on a player, he could instead pursue a fifth or sixth-round draft pick, which the Islanders have in every future draft.
Beauvillier is unlikely to come in and post numbers anywhere near a 30-goal, 80-point pace—he is not an elite forward, and there is a reason he has been on five teams in three seasons. However, acquiring him would be a cost-effective way to address the team’s current struggles by adding a winger with exceptional speed, established chemistry with the roster, and the potential to strengthen their depth. This would provide the Islanders with three solid forward lines, greatly enhancing their chances of achieving sustained success.
