As Barry Trotz indicated he might do earlier in the week, the Nashville Predators bought a forward at the deadline, adding Anthony Beauvillier from the Chicago Blackhawks.

The move came in tandem with a move to send Yakov Trenin to Colorado, after the Predators and Trenin could not come to an agreement on a contract extension.

In trading away Trenin, the Predators lose some size and physicality in their lineup. Trenin was a top penalty-killing forward during his time in Nashville, though his offensive output was inconsistent.

But what does adding Anthony Beauvillier do for the Predators' lineup?

Anthony Beauvillier adds offensive bite and speed

During his draft year, one scout described Beauvillier as "a dynamic scoring center with good hockey sense," then added he's "not very large in stature, but makes up for it in speed, skill, and cunning."

While no one would confuse Beauvillier for Sidney Crosby, he had some early success in the NHL, especially while playing for Barry Trotz and the New York Islanders.

Since he broke into the league in 2016-17, Beauvillier has scored 115 goals in 535 games. His game is primarily built around speed. He's not a burner, but he uses speed effectively to create room on the outside, often angling shots that create rebound chances.

Skating is also a strength of Beauvillier's. Pro Hockey Group, which works directly with Cap Friendly, ranks his skating an 86 out of 100, his highest rating in their 10-point assessment.

Beauvillier's shot isn't anything special, but he can shoot from tight spaces and in clutch moments. One good example is the goal he scored in Game 6 of the 2021 Eastern Conference Final, where he pounced on a loose puck and roofed it past Andrei Vasilevskiy.

This season with Chicago has been a bad one for Beauvillier — something you can chalk up to the Blackhawks being one of the worst teams in the league.

Look for Beauvillier to slot in the middle of the lineup, likely on the left side as a left-handed shooter, and probably playing with Tommy Novak and Luke Evangelista.

NINE FOR NINE: How Filip Forsberg pulled off 9th career hat trick in Nashville Predators' win over Sabres

Barry Trotz swapping defense for offense

Looking at the bigger picture, Thursday's trades suggests the Nashville Predators want more of an emphasis on offense during the final push for the playoffs.

By trading away a penalty-killing, defensive-minded forward in Trenin — and trading for an offensive-minded, power play option in Beauvillier — Trotz is essentially swapping defense for offense.

There's also the question of contract negotiations.

Trotz was reportedly working on a contract extension for Trenin, but talks seemed to have stalled in recent days. It's unclear if the term or dollar amount was the sticking point, but this week Trotz became convinced he wouldn't be able to keep Trenin.

What we don't know is whether Trotz intends to keep Beauvillier beyond this season.

Beauvillier's three-year, $12.45 million contract ends this summer, leaving open the door for an extension. Given his recent downturn in production, it's hard to imagine a pay raise for Beauvillier is coming. But if he plays well for the Nashville Predators down the stretch, Trotz may decide to keep him around.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: What Anthony Beauvillier brings to the Nashville Predators