Top 5 free agent forwards the Canadiens should pursue in the 2024 offseason

Anthony Beauvillier could be a sleeper in this year’s free agency class

If there is one forward you can’t underestimate in this offseason’s free agency class, it’s Anthony Beauvillier. He hasn’t enjoyed a good season, having done little in three different uniforms - 22 games with the Vancouver Canucks, 23 with the Chicago Blackhawks, and most recently, 12 with the Nashville Predators. 

His point total is as uninspiring as it can get, with just 16 in 57 contests as the final week of the regular season approaches. Of those 16 points, five of them are goals, and it is a career-low. Thanks to his AHL-caliber play this season, you may be curious as to why he’s on this list. 

One reason is that a player like Beauvillier has become low-risk with a potentially high reward. He’s just 26 and he can also be one of the more versatile forwards in the upcoming class. He can be physical, and with 31 takeaways, it also shows defense and bottom-three forward minutes could be his ultimate niche. 

But let’s also not forget that earlier in his career, Beauvillier has also been a solid goal-scorer, and there is always a chance he could wind up being that kind of player again. If so, it would be huge for whomever he plays for next.