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Anthony Beauvillier was chosen 2nd overall by the Shawinigan Cataractes in the 2013 QMJHL draft. He followed up on a decent 16 year old season where he but up 33 points, with a huge second year scoring 42 goals and 94 points in 67 games, and leading the offence for a rebuilding Cataractes club. It was enough to be named to the league’s second all-star team this past season. He also put up seven points in seven games, but the Cataractes were eliminated in the first round of the QMJHL playoffs. Beauvillier won a gold medal with Team Canada at the Ivan Hlinka tournament last summer and a bronze with the team at the Under 18 World Championships this spring. Beauvillier was the captain of Team Cherry at the 2015 CHL Top Prospects Game, and was part of team QMJHL at the Subway Super Series. His brother Francis Beauvillier was a 6th round pick of the Florida Panthers in the 2012 NHL draft. After a short AHL career, he is now playing hockey for the University of New Brunswick in the CIS. Anthony Beauvillier is likely to be taken a lot higher than his brother was.
Anthony Beauvillier
Centre/Left Wing — shoots Left
Born Jun 8 1997 — Sorel, PQ
Height 5.11 — Weight 173 [180 cm/78 kg]
Anthony Beauvillier has great stickhandling skills and the ability to create plays when it seems like nothing is there. He protects the puck extremely well, and uses his quick hands and shiftiness to get defenders out of position and create passing or shooting lanes. Beauvillier also has excellent vision and playmaking abilities and is the type of player who can make his linemates better. He has a strong shot and a good release, and with him learning to rely on it more has added a new element to his game, making him extremely difficult to defend, and greatly adding to Beauvillier’s breakthrough season. He’s a little undersized as he’s listed at just 5’11″ right now, but he is still just 17 and has time to grow as his brother Francis Beauvillier comes in at 6’1. Beauvillier is not afraid to go into the corners, or to get to the front of the net. He shows a gritty game, battling hard for position in front and loose pucks in the corners. He will also need to continue to add muscle to his frame in order to be ready to play at the pro level. Beauvillier has very good hockey sense. He makes the smart play with the puck on his stick, and he finds openings in the defense to set up for a one-timer when he doesn’t have it.
Anthony Beauvillier is also an excellent skater. He has a good stride generating excellent speed and very good acceleration. Add in the fact that he has a quick first step and he is able to be quick on the forecheck, first to loose pucks and beat defenders on the rush. He also has very good agility and edgework, which combines with his stickhandling ability to make him very dangerous in one-on-one situations. He has a very low-centre of gravity which gives him good strength on his skates, and makes him very hard to knock off the puck and helps him in battling for pucks and in the cycle game.
Beauvillier shows his grittiness, and the fact that he doesn’t take a shift off, in his defensive game as well. He works hard in the corners and battling for loose pucks along the boards. He also supports his defense on the back check, and in supporting against the opponents cycle. He is excellent on face-offs and is already one of the top players in the league on the draw. Beauvillier is very good positionally and takes away shooting and passing lane. His two-way way play is a major strength. He can have difficulties with bigger, stronger forwards though, and will need to add muscle to play this game at the next level.
Anthony Beauvillier has the potential to be a top-six forward in the NHL, playing second line minutes and matching up against top forwards. There are some questions about his size, but even if he tops out at 5’11”, he has the skating skills and hockey sense to overcome that deficiency and still be an extremely effective offensive player. He does need some time to develop. Beauvillier’s game is reminiscent of Patrice Bergeron, however this is a stylistic comparison only, and not a talent one.
Below are some videos of Anthony Beauvillier in action.
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