Fantasy Takes: Nashville Acquires Beauvillier, Trades Trenin
Michael Clifford
2024-03-07
Nashville made some moves swapping around their depth as they traded forward Yakov Trenin and prospect Graham Sward to Colorado in exchange for prospect Jeremy Hanzel and a third-round pick in the 2025 Draft.
That trade was made just an hour or so after the team acquired forward Anthony Beauvillier from Chicago for a fifth-round pick in this year's Draft.
Let's break down what it means.
Trenin was in the midst of his fourth full season with Nashville and had been reliable for them in the team's middle-6 forward mix. Not only could he chip in with some goals – he has three straight seasons of at least 10, plus whatever he adds in Colorado from here on out – but was a regular on their penalty kill as well.
In banger fantasy leagues, Trenin was coveted specifically because he could score 10-15 goals to go along with consistently posting over two hits per game. The problem for him in going to Colorado is that with the Avalanche's offseason acquisitions, a soon-to-be-returning Valeri Nichushkin, and the trade for Casey Mittelstadt, Trenin seems destined for the fourth line. He won't get 15 minutes a game in Colorado; he likely settles in the 11- to 12-minute range. It won't kill his banger league value, but his hit rate will likely decline from here.
Beauvillier has had a tough go this season as it didn't work out in Vancouver as it did at the end of the 2022-23 campaign when he had 20 points in 33 games. Beauvillier and Nashville general manager Barry Trotz are familiar with each other from their time with the New York Islanders, so that may help the new Predators winger's transition.
It'll be interesting to see where Beauvillier lines up for Nashville. He is not much of a playmaker himself but has a bit of a scoring touch, and that's what's needed next to Tommy Novak. There won't be heavy minutes or anything, but he will have a chance to play next to a good playmaker in Novak, depending on what Andrew Brunette's lineup card looks like.
The trades doesn't change a lot for Nashville, though it may weaken their penalty kill with Trenin gone. That might also boost Colorado's PK, so a slight downgrade for the Predators' goalies and a slight upgrade for the Avalanche netminders.
Sward's Dobber Profile can be read here. If the 20-year-old fifth-round pick ever does make it to the NHL, it's on a loaded Colorado blue line, so fantasy value is unlikely for some time yet.
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