Chicago Blackhawks traded Anthony Beauvillier to Nashville Predators

Anthony Beauvillier never quite got back on track with the Chicago Blackhawks, and he won’t get that chance now either.

The Hawks traded the forward to the Nashville Predators on Thursday for a fifth-round draft pick.

The deal follows Beauvillier’s conditional fifth-round acquisition from the Vancouver Canucks in November.

“This must be tough for him – three teams in one season – it’s a lot to deal with,” center Jason Dickinson said.

Added left wing Nick Foligno: “For a player who came in on such short notice, he really made an impact on the group. He’s a great guy, a great player and I think he was just trying to find his game.”

It’s been an up-and-down ride for Beauvillier since the end of last season.

The New York Islanders traded him to the Canucks, and after 22 games this fall with 2 goals and 6 assists, the Canucks dealt him to the Hawks, who placed him after Taylor Hall and Andreas Athanasiou were sidelined with injuries.

“He was a great guy to hire right away,” Dickinson said of Beauvillier. “His attitude and energy suited us very well.”

But several forwards were injured during the Hawks’ late-December road trip, including Beauvillier, who missed 18 games with a left wrist issue. When he returned, he played only eight more games for the Hawks.

He had two goals and four assists in 23 games in Chicago.

“His last game was maybe one of his best games, he was really skating, kind of finding his legs again after his injury,” coach Luke Richardson said.

Dickinson said: “It’s unfortunate he got injured. He couldn’t move his feet as much as he wanted. … If there is an opportunity for him to return in free agency, that would be great. “If he finds a home somewhere else, I hope that works out best for him.”

Beauvillier enters an advantageous position with the Predators, who have a very comfortable lead in the last wild card position in the Western Conference.

“It’s a good thing for (Beauvillier) to have the opportunity to go and play in the playoffs,” said Richardson, who was an Islanders assistant under Doug Weight during Beauvillier’s tenure in New York. “This is an opportunity for him. I’m sorry to see him go. He’s a good guy and he’s adjusting well.”