New York Islanders: Value of Anthony Beauvillier’s Contract Extension

New York Islanders forward Anthony Beauvillier has had a difficult season. Through 75 games, the 28th pick overall in the 2015 draft has had only 16 goals and eight assists. What could his contract extension look like?

New York Islanders forward Anthony Beauvillier is about to end year three of his career as a pro on April sixth. Last year, through seventy-one games Beauvillier put up twenty-one goals and fifteen assists for thirty-six points. This hasn’t been a good year for Beau.

Looking at the entirety of his season so far his best months were November and December. Both months saw Beauvillier score five goals and two assists. March has not been kind to him registering only two points in twelve games.

Beauvillier has benefited by playing on Barzal’s wing whenever he gets that chance. Otherwise, he gets pushed down to a bottom six checking role which naturally dampens his offensive ability and opportunities. That isn’t a bad thing for him, but on a team with too many checking-line forwards, his offensive talent gets put on the back burner.

Was He Rushed Into The Show?

In his draft year, Beauvillier put up ninety-four points in sixty-seven games playing for the Shawinigan Cataractes in the QMJHL. Beauvillier ranked at number thirty-three on the NHL Central Scouting’s 2015 final rankings for North American skaters.

I feel the Islanders rushed Beauvillier into top six minutes in the NHL. I think a year or two down in Bridgeport playing top six and first unit power-play minutes would have helped him ease into the pro lifestyle and the expectations that come with it.

Beauvillier is only twenty-one years old and has plenty of hockey left to play.

I could easily see a scenario wherein Trotz gets tired of whoever is playing on Barzal’s wing and decides to put those two back on the same line. Beauvillier doesn’t have the time and space that he had in the past playing in juniors, the offense he once generated at the lower levels is getting snuffed out at this level.

Next Contract

After this season Beauvillier’s ELC will expire. I would like to see a bridge deal of maybe two or three years at an average annual value of $3 million or $3.25 million. That might be a bit generous, but that can be maneuvered, and you don’t know what you have yet with Beauvillier. Can he turn into a sixty or seventy point guy? Or is he going to hover around thirty-five forty-five?

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If he does elevate his game in the next few years, Beauvillier and Barzal could be the one-two wing-center punch that management envisioned when they drafted them in 2015. Beauvillier also gets his first shot at playoff hockey in the next month. Perhaps that sparks him to finish strong and think about his impact on this team in the next few years.