“I think just being more familiar with the rinks a little bit and the division, the travel, is going to help a lot,” the 27-year-old said. “Obviously being from the East Coast myself, just closer to home and all that… I feel like the transition is going to be a little easier.”

It might feel like a piece of cake compared to how last season went. Beauvillier started the year with Vancouver after playing the 2022-23 season with the Canucks. He played 22 games there before getting traded to the Blackhawks, who then dealt Beauvillier to Nashville at the deadline after 23 games with Chicago. “It was obviously not an easy season for me, especially mentally,” Beauvillier said with a wry grin. “It was tough, just to get used to different systems, get used to different dressing rooms and different guys. Getting to know the cities and getting comfortable everywhere wasn't easy.

“But I feel like I learned a lot last season, just to obviously get comfortable with different groups. Obviously looking for more stability now, and I feel like joining the Penguins, it's going to be good for me.”

Penguins President of Hockey Operations and GM Kyle Dubas said they want to put Beauvillier in a position to succeed when he reports to training camp this fall and looks to get his game back on track. “I don't think this last stretch has gone particularly well for him by any measure. But when you watch the film and you start to dig into it, that player that was so effective for the Islanders going back to his draft year and just continuing to get better and better is still there,” Dubas said on the first day of free agency. “We just have to provide the environment for him to show that again. So, I think he was willing to really bet on himself with a very low-money deal for one year in exchange for the opportunity to come in here and try to earn a spot in the lineup.”