It’s been a wild start to Anthony Beauregard’s pro hockey career, which inexplicably began deep within the Montreal Canadiens organization.
A native of the small town of Saint-Damase, Quebec, Beauregard has doubtless experienced the less glamorous side of the professional hockey landscape, which has thus far taking him through a few different leagues and cities, culminating in his current stint with the ECHL’s Wichita Thunder. A product of the QMJHL’s Val d’Or Foreurs, Beauregard slowly but surely worked his way into the lineup as a capable, oft-dangerous scorer, posting 93 points over 67 games in his final junior season in 2015-16. Since then, dotted between a number of mixed circumstances and situations, Beauregard has managed to turn in one heck of a performance to begin 2020-21.
While this past season has had its up and downs for the old East Coast league, it has given its usual opportunities for former unknowns and or depth players to prove their worth. After spending last season in the English Elite league with the Dundee Stars, Beauregard has exploded this season for 48 points over 43 games, to lead the entire ECHL in scoring. While an immensely impressive start for what had been a continually promising player, Beauregard’s journey hasn’t been without some bumps in the road, both for him and the team’s he played for, in particular with the Canadiens.
After going undrafted out of junior, Beauregard decided to give pro hockey an initial shot, signing with the ECHL’s Indy Fuel. After a less than productive 10 points over 21 games however, he opted to commit elsewhere, which is where his time in Montreal begins. In spite of some potential for a larger role on an offensively starved Fuel team, Beauregard opted to commit to Concordia University’s men’s ice hockey team, located not too far from the fabled Bell Centre ice.
After an initial 12 game audition, Beauregard caught fire in the 2017-18 season, posting 60 points over just 28 games, being named U sports player of the year whilst catching the eye of a few local journalists who happened to catch a bit of the Concordia team (myself included). While Concordia’s sports programs typically don’t produce much, if any in the way of NHL talent, theirs still a number of talented players who pass through the program, whether it be former or future pro hockey players of a variety.
While it was expected that Beauregard would join the former, he opted to give the pro ranks another shot, earning a call-up to the Canadiens AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket. At the time, the first-year Rocket were enduring one of the most fascinating yet similarly dismal campaigns from a Habs affiliate in quite some time, finishing dead last in the AHL with a 24-42-10 record, further punctuated by a season ending 12 game losing streak (yes really). With Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin either trading or calling up any capable players the Rocket had, head coach Sylvain Lefebvre and GM Larry Carriere were left scrambling to not only win games, but simply have enough players to fill a roster.
After spending the 2019-20 season overseas, former Canadiens farmhand Anthony Beauregard has got off to a hot start with the ECHL’s Wichita Thunder.
Because of this, the 2017-18 Rocket is an absolute cavalcade of random players from all over, stemming from the ECHL all the way down to the SPHL. In between gems like Garrett McFadden and Bailey Webster, sat guys like Beauregard, who gave it their all-in spite of the less than favorable circumstances. While an overall lost season for both the Habs and their affiliates (With their ECHL affiliate the Brampton Beast pulling out due to lack of support) it allowed guys like Beauregard to get their names out there, with the Concordia alumni posted a goal and an assist over 10 games.
Come next season, Beauregard signed with the Habs now former affiliate in the Beast, posting 28 points (10 g, 18 a) over 67 games as Brampton rode their usual top group of David Pacan and David Vallorani back to the Kelly Cup Playoffs. Heading into 2019-20, in a less than expected move, Beauregard joined similar former Beast forward Kevin Dufour in Dundee, re-establishing himself as the top scorer he once was in junior, posting 46 points (17 g, 29 a) over 48 games. Now back in the ECHL with Wichita, Beauregard has turned into the oft-, if not always dangerous scorer he once was, and I see the potential for greater things in his future.
At just 5’07 and 165 pounds, size continues to be Beauregard’s biggest detractor, but with blistering speed and solid hands, there’s a lot more to his game than meets the eye, and while it took him a while to figure out his true form, it seems as though things are finally clicking, and I can definitely see the potential for things beyond the ECHL for Beauregard. In the past I discussed former QMJHL top scorer Alex Barre-Boulet, who made his NHL debut this season for the Tampa Bay Lightning. After similarly going undrafted out of junior, Barre-Boulet has caught fire for the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch, establishing himself as one of the league’s top players in spite of his less than ideal 5’10 frame.
While I don’t think he’s near a top line role in the AHL, I could definitely see the potential for Beauregard to find a role on an AHL team, and wouldn’t be surprised if he see’s his number called this season or next. At just 25 years old, he’s entering the prime of his career, and I think is worth a look for any AHL team looking for speed and offensive upside.
While it’s been a wild start to Anthony Beauregard’s pro career, it seems as though things are finally looking up for the former Concordia star, and as quickly as he made his AHL debut, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a similarly quick AHL return, for this former Canadiens farmhand.