As the KHL pre-season kicks off, many new faces are joining the league, including former Montreal Canadiens first-round pick Nathan Beaulieu. On Wednesday, while playing for Barys Astana against Avangard Omsk, Beaulieu showed he can hold his own against the KHL's toughest players. In the second period, he squared off with Mark Verba and quickly dropped him with a solid right punch to the chin.
Beaulieu is no stranger to fighting, with ten NHL fights under his belt. The 31-year-old is in his second season overseas, having left North America in 2023 to play for EHC Kloten in Switzerland's National League. After one season in Switzerland, he signed a one-year contract for the 2024-25 season with Barys Astana in Kazakhstan. If Beaulieu has a strong season with Barys Astana, it wouldn't be surprising to see him return to North America for the 2025-26 season.
POLL | ||
21 AOUT | 58 ANSWERS Former NHLer Nathan Beaulieu is trending for dropping one of the toughest players in the KHL Do you think Nathan Beaulieu will return to play in the NHL? | ||
Yes | 23 | 39.7 % |
No | 35 | 60.3 % |
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