But that doesn't mean the 21-year-old forward has fallen in the estimation of the Boston Bruins, who selected him with the No. 30 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft.
"He was on, obviously, a really good team," Bruins player development coordinator Adam McQuaid said of Beecher, who had six goals and nine assists in 34 games. "A lot of high picks. A lot of offensive guys. Kind of put in more of a defensive situation and the encouraging part of that was his details got a lot better. He got better on draws. He was good defensively. He killed penalties.
"I thought his engagement level got better on a more consistent basis. He's a big guy that can skate and when he's physical, he can be a force. So just trying to consistently get him to use his strengths and we'll see where it goes. But again, a guy that has a lot to offer and someone we're excited about."
Beecher has gone through some challenges since being taken by the Bruins, including a shoulder injury that hampered him and eventually required surgery in February 2021 during his sophomore season. Then, after he had rehabbed and returned for his junior year, he was forced out for another two months after thumb surgery.
Boston signed him to three-year entry-level contract May 16. Beecher joined Providence of the American Hockey League and had five points (three goals, two assists) in nine games.
"It's definitely a different style of play coming from college hockey, especially in the Big Ten," Beecher said at Bruins development camp July 11. "It's pretty run-and-gun offense. I get to pro [hockey] and it's a lot more structured, everything is more detailed. So that took a little bit of getting used to."
Beecher (6-foot-3, 210 pounds) is starting to see what it might take to succeed in the NHL.
"I think you've seen a maturity and growth," Bruins director of player development Jamie Langenbrunner said. "Just a different mindset he's had. He's really beginning to understand what's going to make him an effective player. He's building that consistency into his game that he's going to need to have at this level.
"A healthy year last year, really bought into the role that they needed him to do, which was being a third-line, penalty-kill guy, shutdown [role]. And he did a very good job and scored some timely goals as well."
It's goal-scoring that Beecher has focused on, noting that he has struggled in that area in college. In three seasons at Michigan, Beecher scored 19 goals in 81 games.
"I'm dissecting the shot, where to look at goalies when you're coming down at certain angles, things like that," Beecher said. "Obviously I'm still trying to get better in all areas, but that's definitely been a big focus for me this offseason."
He attributed the uptick in goals scored at Providence to an increasing confidence. It's something he's trying to take from there to development camp and through to rookie and training camp in the fall as he works to demonstrate to the Bruins what he can do.
"This year I definitely have something to prove coming out of this offseason," Beecher said. "I just want to show them that I'm ready."
