Trade Deadline Pickups Beauvillier, Anderson-Dolan Excited to Join Surging Predators

Hours after receiving the news, Nashville Predators trade deadline pickups Anthony Beauvillier and Jaret Anderson-Dolan found themselves outfitted in Gold and Navy and on the ice at Bridgestone Arena practicing with their new team.

Despite Nashville being Beauvillier’s third destination this season - the forward played in 22 games with Vancouver and 23 with Chicago - the excitement was fresh when he heard he’d be coming to the Music City to join a surging Predators team down the stretch of their 25th Anniversary season.

After all, who wouldn’t want to play for the hottest team in the NHL at the best time of the year?

“It's been a crazy year, for sure,” Beauvillier said. “But I’m pumped to be here, pumped to play some good hockey and make a push to the playoffs. And I’m pumped to join these guys. It seems like a really fun group of guys and I'm just ready to get to work with them.”

Selected 28th overall by the New York Islanders at the 2015 NHL Draft, the veteran forward has since accrued 243 points (115g-128a) in 585 career games, the first 457 of which came with his draft club.

Last season, Beauvillier posted a career-high 40 points (18g-22a) with New York and the Vancouver Canucks. From 2017-2021, he recorded four straight seasons with at least 15 goals for the Islanders.

“I bring speed, I bring a work ethic and a good, offensive touch as well,” Beauvillier said. “So I'm going to try to keep it simple and I'm at my best when I'm moving my feet, so that's what I'm going to try to do moving forward.”

Of course, there’s already a connection with Predators General Manager Barry Trotz, who coached Beauvillier on the Island from 2018-22.

During that span, Beauvillier was fifth in scoring among the Islanders, recording 129 points (63g-66a), 12 power-play goals and an average of 16:13 ice time per game. 

He loomed large for New York during the postseason, recording 29 points (15g-14a) in 49 career Stanley Cup Playoff games, and helped his team to the third round in consecutive seasons in 2019-20 and 2020-21.

So, is Beauvillier excited to be back in Trotz’s camp?

“Absolutely,” he said. “Just having a couple chats with him yesterday, I'm really happy and I’m thrilled to be here. It was good to see him yesterday, and he made that transition really easy for me.” 

Arriving in Nashville on Friday, Anderson-Dolan eased in with a couple of familiar faces, too. 

“I know [Cody Glass] pretty well, I played at the World Juniors with him,” Anderson-Dolan said. “I know [Mark Jankowski], and then I’ve played against a bunch of guys for a long time here. So, there are a couple of familiar faces, but it’s also good to make new friendships.” 

Indeed, Anderson-Dolan represented Canada alongside Glass at the 2017 U-18 World Championship, one of four appearances the forward has made on the world stage. He won Gold with Team Canada at the 2021 World Championship, and additionally represented his country at the 2019 World Junior Championship and the 2015 World U-17 Hockey Challenge.

Selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the second round (41st overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft, Anderson-Dolan has recorded 28 points (15g-13a) in 126 career games, including a career-high 12 points (7g-5a) last season.

In the American Hockey League, Anderson-Dolan recorded 79 points (34g-45a) in 115 games for the Ontario Reign and finished third among his teammates in points during the 2021-22 campaign with 47 (24g-23a).

With a fresh start and a new team, the 24-year-old forward is eager to prove himself and earn the opportunities as they come.

“Wherever they need me, I think I’ve got to prove that I belong here and do what has made me successful in the past,” Anderson-Dolan said. “[I’ve got to] just bring the hard work that I did in LA and control what I can.”

Beauvillier and Anderson-Dolan were only two of the Predators pickups acquired before the NHL Trade Deadline closed on Friday afternoon.

Click here to review the team’s deadline moves.