[article] Beauvillier a good option at center? (2019)

[Ted Lasso]

https://eyesonisles.com/2019/08/17/new-york-islanders-anthony-beauvillier-good-option-at-center/

 

Interesting look at Beau as a candidate for 3C with the Isles 4 years ago:

 

Playing center isn’t anything new for Beauvillier. He played down the middle his entire junior career. And as he told NHL.com’s Brian Compton in 2017, it’s his preferred position. So can Beau replace Valtteri Filppula?

 

Just looking at Filppula’s base stats it’s entirely possible for Beau to fill Fillpula’s spot. Filppula scored 17 goals and 14 assists for 31 points. Beau scored 18 goals and ten assists for 28 points.

Things start to break down for Beau the second you go beyond his production. Filppula put up 31 points while playing primarily in the defensive zone with 57.7 percent of his shifts starting in the defensive zone. Beau was the opposite with 58.1 percent of his shifts starting in the offensive zone.

 

Then there are Beauvillier’s faceoff numbers. Over his three-year NHL career, he’s averaged 42.5 percent in the faceoff dot. That’s not great, but Filppula held a  42.3 percent efficiency last season. To be fair to Filppula, Beau only took 56 faceoffs last season and averaged 45.6 percent.

It’s possible Beau can be better on the dot or at the very least a like-for-like replacement with Filppula.

 

Looking at his numbers it seems that Beau can at least match what Filppula brought to the table. At least when it comes to his offensive production.

[Elias Pettersson]

He most likely played either 1C or 2C in junior.  He could never be a 3C, doesn't have the defensive acumen...

[Phil_314]

I'd rather trade him for a decent 4th C than have him try up the middle.

[DownUndaCanuck]

Nowhere near strong enough physically or defensively to be a 3C. You need a real bull at that position. Blueger, Aman and Joshua are all solid 4Cs but that 3rd line center job is a tough one. We haven't had a real 3C for a while - when we had Petey, Miller and Bo it was more 1 and 2A 2B. I think you have to go back to the Bonino, Malhotra years, even Pahlsson, when we had a true checking 3C. 

 

Problem is around the league, a lot of young guys take the 3C spot and then end up getting better or worse. They either get so good (like Cirelli for example) that they end up a 2C, or stagnate, or get worse. Not many guys play their entire careers as 3C. We see a few journeymen like Jarnkrok and Janmark etc. right now who seem to be that guy but there's not many true checking 3Cs anymore.

 

Honestly I think Raty is our best bet right now so let's hope we can really develop his defensive game in Abby.

[DrJockitch]

Not a great option for anything more than middle six winger.  
Even then I would argue middling player in that role. 
We need a centre for tough matchups, he isn’t it. 

[Nucker 67]

They just brought in Blueger to be the #3C

 

 

[canuckmen84]

I wouldn't mind trying it, until we obtain a true 3C,  Blueger is a solid 4C.

[-AJ-]

His face-off percentage is pretty brutal. I'd rather try Joshua, who has a proven track record at being solid at face-offs and played C in St. Louis.

[Ted Lasso]

58 minutes ago, -AJ- said:

His face-off percentage is pretty brutal. I'd rather try Joshua, who has a proven track record at being solid at face-offs and played C in St. Louis.

Agreed on Joshua. He has the speed, strength and defensive acumen suited to 3C

[Bure_Pavel]

8 minutes ago, Ted Lasso said:

Agreed on Joshua. He has the speed, strength and defensive acumen suited to 3C

Aman, Joshua, and Studnicka were a combined -39 last year on the fourth line. None are at an NHL third line level in my opinion. Joshua showed he can be a good 4th line player last year but we need our 3rd and 4th lines not to be liabilities this year if we want to make the playoffs.    

[-AJ-]

33 minutes ago, Bure_Pavel said:

Aman, Joshua, and Studnicka were a combined -39 last year on the fourth line. None are at an NHL third line level in my opinion. Joshua showed he can be a good 4th line player last year but we need our 3rd and 4th lines not to be liabilities this year if we want to make the playoffs.    

There's a lot more to defense than +/-. If I weren't at work, I'd do a deep dive into some other metrics to get a better idea of his defense (darn work firewall...).

[NewbieCanuckFan]

18 minutes ago, -AJ- said:

There's a lot more to defense than +/-. If I weren't at work, I'd do a deep dive into some other metrics to get a better idea of his defense (darn work firewall...).

Co-winner of the Emery Edge trophy (top +/- in the league) in 2004:

 

 

Glen (when he was GM of the Oilers always complaining about big market teams spending money like drunken sailors) Sather promptly offer him a decent contract when Malik stuck his toe in the free agency pond.  Not that Malik was horrible.  Just not a player you give that kind of contract then (he was a nothing special 3rd pairing/depth guy).

[Ted Lasso]

55 minutes ago, Bure_Pavel said:

Aman, Joshua, and Studnicka were a combined -39 last year on the fourth line. None are at an NHL third line level in my opinion. Joshua showed he can be a good 4th line player last year but we need our 3rd and 4th lines not to be liabilities this year if we want to make the playoffs.    

What if Joshua was flanked by two defensive wingers like Pearson and Mikheyev?  

[Bure_Pavel]

29 minutes ago, -AJ- said:

There's a lot more to defense than +/-. If I weren't at work, I'd do a deep dive into some other metrics to get a better idea of his defense (darn work firewall...).

For a fourth line I feel like +/- is more important than say top 6 six forwards that play all situations, as they play mainly even strength and limited minutes. If they also successfully PK than it helps their case. If you only play even strength +/- is very important as the goal is to score more goals than the other team over 60 minutes. Improved defense and goaltending should help too.     

Edited July 14, 2023 by Bure_Pavel

[Junkyard Dog]

Would try to acquire an actual 3rd C that fits what we need rather than try to put guys in spots they don’t belong in. 
 

Benning tried to do that a lot. Acquire guys and put them in spots with the expectation that they will be more than what they are. 
 

I understand cap restraints probably delay the process of acquiring an actual 3C but we shouldn’t try to take shortcuts this way. 

[Bure_Pavel]

3 minutes ago, Ted Lasso said:

What if Joshua was flanked by two defensive wingers like Pearson and Mikheyev?  

He could probably fill the hole in a pinch but he should not be a NHL 3C on a playoff team unless he takes a big step next year. 

[Ted Lasso]

3 minutes ago, Bure_Pavel said:

He could probably fill the hole in a pinch but he should not be a NHL 3C on a playoff team unless he takes a big step next year. 

Yep fair

 

3 minutes ago, Junkyard Dog said:

Would try to acquire an actual 3rd C that fits what we need rather than try to put guys in spots they don’t belong in. 
 

Benning tried to do that a lot. Acquire guys and put them in spots with the expectation that they will be more than what they are. 
 

I understand cap restraints probably delay the process of acquiring an actual 3C but we shouldn’t try to take shortcuts this way. 

Same here - that would be priority one.  Suter is described as a solid two-way C, despite his size.  Wonder if he's still an option...

[Bobby James]

I'd be willing to try it out if there is interest on the player's end. 

 

However my expectations are low he can play 3C. I think he would have already if so, but based on NY and last year in Van looks mainly to be a middle 6 winger. 

 

We do need a 3C. Unlikely we'll be able to sign one at this point in free agency, so hopefully someone already in the organization steps up and goes for it. 

 

Could be any of 
Bluger (most likely for this season, will at least get a big opportunity to lock in at 3C)

Joshua (coach likes him and has good size)
Aman (I know he had a hot and cold season, but is young and could develop more for sure still) 
Studnicka
Linus Karlsson (really impressive season in Abby, likely there again but don't wanna count him out)
Raty (unlikely, needs more develop and to improve their skating)

 

Might be a position we're weak in that we'll have to try and live with this season. 

[Junkyard Dog]

Just now, Bobby James said:

I'd be willing to try it out if there is interest on the player's end. 

 

However my expectations are low he can play 3C. I think he would have already if so, but based on NY and last year in Van looks mainly to be a middle 6 winger. 

 

We do need a 3C. Unlikely we'll be able to sign one at this point in free agency, so hopefully someone already in the organization steps up and goes for it. 

 

Could be any of 
Bluger (most likely for this season, will at least get a big opportunity to lock in at 3C)

Joshua (coach likes him and has good size)
Aman (I know he had a hot and cold season, but is young and could develop more for sure still) 
Studnicka
Linus Karlsson (really impressive season in Abby, likely there again but don't wanna count him out)
Raty (unlikely, needs more develop and to improve their skating)

 

Might be a position we're weak in that we'll have to try and live with this season. 

Once we get cap just spend it on 3C and 4C. 
 

Joshua is better suited for winger which is where he played well last year. 
 

Aman will take a few years to develop as a playoff worthy bottom 6 C and faceoff skills and would probably benefit well from having a veteran 3/4 C to learn from. 
 

Same goes with Raty. They both young and have limited experience in NA. 
 

Karlsson might be better suited for wing where he’s been utilized a lot. His game kind of fits well there too. 
 

Studnicka is the biggest long shot of the bunch. 

[Putgolzin]

1 hour ago, Ted Lasso said:

What if Joshua was flanked by two defensive wingers like Pearson and Mikheyev?  

Or what if Joshua was flanked by two offensive wingers like Beauvilleur and Garland?

That way they wouldn’t just be skating around doing almost nothing.

If they could all score 30-40 points each we’d have a real team!

If they could also be defensively responsible and leave most of the real shutdown work to the 4th line (Aman, Bleuger, DiGuiseppe for example), we could really have something.