Fresh off a QMJHL title, the Senators prospect will reportedly be dealt soon to a powerhouse Eagles roster as Cape Breton loads up for a championship run.
For the second time in just over five months, Ottawa Senators goaltending prospect Lucas Beckman is reportedly on the move.
Stéphane Leroux of RDS reported Wednesday afternoon that following his Memorial Cup appearance with the Chicoutimi Saguenéens, Beckman is expected to be traded to the Cape Breton Eagles as part of a blockbuster deal that also includes Alonso Gosselin, Liam Lefebvre and Maxim Schafer.
According to Leroux, the Eagles are loading up for a championship run next season and have clearly identified Beckman, who turns 19 in August, as a key piece of their plans.
Back in April, the Senators signed Beckman to his three-year entry-level contract. They selected the 18-year-old goaltender in the fourth round (97th overall) of the 2025 NHL Draft, and early returns suggest the club's scouting staff may have found a gem.
After Baie-Comeau traded Beckman to Chicoutimi back in December, he helped lead Saguenéens to a QMJHL championship with a 16-4 record, a 1.98 goals against and a .918 save percentage.
The Saguenéens sagged in the Memorial Cup, though. They went 1-2 in the round robin, earning a spot in the semifinal before falling 6-1 to the Everett Silvertips. Beckman was chased from that game early in the third period and ended the tournament with a 4.06 goals against and an .865 save percentage.
Now he'll get another opportunity with what is expected to be one of the QMJHL's stronger teams. While Chicoutimi begins a rebuild after saying goodbye to several graduating veterans, Cape Breton appears determined to push all its chips to the centre of the table.
For Beckman, the move represents another chance to play meaningful hockey deep into the spring. For the Senators, it's another chance to see how one of their top goaltending prospects handles the pressure and expectations that come with backstopping a contender.
By Steve Warne
The Hockey News
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