Prior to puck drop against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night, the Vancouver Canucks announced that they had traded winger Anthony Beauvillier to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for a 2024 fifth-round pick. The move clears up $4.15 million in cap space that Vancouver can allocate elsewhere throughout the lineup. Beauvillier played 55 games for Vancouver over the past two seasons, scoring 11 goals and recording 28 points. As for the Canucks return, they get either Chicago's or Calgary's fifth-round pick in the upcoming draft. They also get some much-needed cap flexibility that should help them improve the team. One player that Vancouver has been rumoured to be interested in is defenceman Ethan Bear. An unrestricted free agent, he suffered a shoulder injury at the World Championship that required offseason surgery. While he is not fully cleared, he has been skating in Kelowna and should be game-ready in the next few weeks. Canucks look to bring back Ethan Bear While there was some chemistry early on in his Canuck career, Beauvillier never really fit into this lineup. He was good defensively but couldn't replicate the offensive production he showed late last season. Ultimately, this is a good move for both parties, as Vancouver gets something in return for a pending unrestricted free agent, and Beauvillier gets a fresh start in a new market.
