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Source: Canadiens Inquired About Beauvillier, Return the Issue

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Anthony BeauvillierNew York Islanders
New York Islanders left wing Anthony Beauvillier (18) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the Nashville Predators during first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)

Back in early August, NYI Hockey Now reported, after speaking with a few league sources, that the New York Islanders were shopping forward Anthony Beauvillier. The 25-year-old was now on the market as the Islanders try to shes cap space.

Beauvillier is under contract for another two seasons with a cap hit of $4.15 million, which should be enough to clear the cap space needed to make a Nazem Kadri signing official. The money that needs to come out depends on what the numbers look like on Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov’s new deals.

There has not been much information regarding teams reaching out about Anthony Beauvillier, but Montreal Hockey Now‘s Jimmy Murphy found out via a trusted NHL source that the Montreal Canadiens are one of many teams interested in acquiring the Quebec native.

According to this source, there have been at least exploratory NHL trade discussions on Beauvillier and other Islanders players, but the Islanders’ refusal to back off their stance of not taking any salary back in a trade right now has stalled trade talks not just with the Canadiens but plenty of potential NHL trade suitors. Beauvillier, 25, is entering the second year of a three-year, $12.4 million contract with a $4.1 million salary cap hit.

“The problem is Lou wanting this or any trade right now to be a pure cap dump by him,” the source told Montreal Hockey Now on Tuesday.

The movement of Beauvillier, like the source indicated, would be to clear his contract off the books. Another reason Beauvillier could be moved is if he was in a package deal for a player like J.T. Miller.

But to take back a salary for Beauvillier does not fit the Islanders’ plan.

The Montreal Canadiens are $248,334 above the salary cap right and would need to move a player like Mike Hoffman ($4.5M), Christian Dvorak ($4.4M), or Joel Armia ($3.4M) to be able to take on Beauvillier.

Montreal Hockey Now has confirmed at various points during this offseason that all three players have been on the NHL trade market. The Islanders could use a sniper like Mike Hoffman, but his failures on the defensive side of the puck, as well as his struggles to stay healthy, do not make him that attractive of a player.

Anthony Beauvillier is a native of Sorel-Tracy, Quebec, about an hour and a half drive to the Bell Centre, the home of the Canadiens. He played his junior days in Quebec for the Shawinigan Cataractes of the QMJHL.

Another interesting tidbit regarding Anthony Beauvillier and the Montreal Canadiens is that general manager Kent Hughes used to be Beauvillier’s agent.

Montreal could have been a good fit for Beauvillier, a fresh start for the 25-year-old who is coming off a tough 2022-23 season.

But given the needs of both the New York Islanders and the Montreal Canadiens, a deal could not come to fruition.

Anthony Beauvillier was drafted by the Islanders 28th overall at the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. He had 12 goals and 22 assists in 75 games for the Islanders last season and has 93 goals and 96 assists in 408 career games in the NHL.

There is still time before training camp for the New York Islanders to make moves to become salary cap compliant. Will Anthony Beauvillier become a salary cap casualty, or will someone else be on the move?

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