The 2016-17 season was expected to be one in which Beaulieu -- Montreal’s first-round draft pick in 2011 -- broke out, and in many ways he did. Elevated to a top-four role, including opening the year as Shea Weber’s partner, Beaulieu posted a career-high 28 points, including 12 on the power play, tying him with Andrei Markov despite much fewer minutes. So, how did he go from that level to a healthy scratch in the final playoff game? Beaulieu excelled when he focused on the man advantage and penalty kill, but breakdowns occurred under the dynamics of even-strength play. Beaulieu was ultimately given less ice time under Claude Julien, and the playoff benching was the proverbial writing on the wall that he'd end up with a one-way ticket out of Montreal. However, instead of losing him for nothing in the expansion draft, Montreal flipped Beaulieu to Buffalo for a third-round pick. He signed a two-year deal, avoiding arbitration and bringing offensive upside to the Sabres.