Beaulieu insists that the highs and lows of the last few months haven't affected his confidence. That's why he believes he still has his spot on the team.
"I obviously want to be here. Obviously, I still believe in myself and know I can be a big part of this team. It's tough to put a fingerprint on it right now, but I feel like I'm still a big part of this team on the back end, and I feel like the organization still thinks that from talking to them, so just another big summer for me and get ready to come back to work again," said Beaulieu, who claimed the Memorial Cup with the QMJHL's Saint John Sea Dogs in 2011.
Beaulieu started the season playing alongside veteran Shea Weber, but the pairing didn't last long. When asked if he felt that he'd been given the opportunity to put his skills on display night after night, he had a categorical response.
"Yes. If I'm in the lineup, then that's really the only opportunity I need. I played almost every game, besides a couple of injuries and situations, but I think if they're putting me on the ice, that's pretty much the only opportunity they can give me. The rest is left up to myself," he admitted.
As for playing to his potential, according to Beaulieu, he "could have been better".
"If you look at the numbers and everything else, it was a pretty good season, but personally I obviously would have liked to be in a different situation," mentioned the 6'2, 205-pound rearguard.