Caption: Colorado Avalanche center Matt Duchene (9) controls the puck behind the goal as Anaheim Ducks defenseman Francois Beauchemin (23) chases him during the third period Feb. 27, 2012 at Pepsi Center. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)
I like Francois Beauchemin. He’s a tremendous hard-nosed hockey player and his first job as a child was delivering the Journal de Montreal newspaper every morning at 5 a.m., according to his Anaheim Ducks’ bio. That job dates his age, obviously, and his age makes me question his signing by the Avalanche.
Our news story about the Avalanche’s free-agent signings Wednesday is . Just Beauchemin and Blake Comeau to the Avs. Terrific addition in Comeau, by the way. Had 16 goals in 61 games for Pittsburgh last season. Just 29. Can play on any line, any role.
My . I did not have Francois Beauchemin on my list. Because he’s 35.
The Avs are done for the day, likely done for the week, GM Joe Sakic said.
My thoughts about improving the D? Francois Beauchemin has had an outstanding NHL career. Super tough and rugged, good teammmate — a guy you hate playing against but love having on your team. A winner, a warrior — a Stanley Cup champion. The same was said about Brad Stuart a year ago, who at age 34 was acquired in a trade with San Jose. Beauchemin and Stuart were in the same 1998 NHL draft class. They are the same player, and joining the Avs with a careers-worth of mileage on their bodies. Brad Stuart was not the answer the team sought, and already is considered a No. 5 or No. 6 guy.
Sakic said the team intends to pair Beauchemin with 2015 All-Star D Erik Johnson and previously said Nikita Zadarov — who was acquired in the Ryan O’Reilly trade last week — is top-four material with Tyson Barrie. That leaves Stuart, Nick Holden, Zach Redmond and Nate Guenin in the 5-8 roles (7-8 being scratched), barring injuries. Hey, Holden, Redmond and Guenin are good role D with relatively inexpensive contracts. They belong on this team. But are the Avs still short on top-4 D? Is Beauchemin too old and Zadorov, 20, too young for those roles?
Is Beauchemin just another tough D who can ring the puck out of the zone or bang it off the boards? Or is he the puck-possession, puck-moving D the Avs desperately need?
Beauchemin has been a top-four D with the Ducks, a very good team. But I’m not sure he’s the top-four D the Avalanche needs. If Johnson and Barrie are the only two D that can consistently move their feet, skate the puck up ice and feed the forwards with a clean exit, I don’t see the Avs improving on shots against/for and obtaining more time in the offensive zone.
But Beauchemin will help the Avs. There’s no doubt he will help the Avs. But is he the answer to Colorado’s exit/entry woes?
Please check back here for quotes from Beauchemin, who was on a conference call with AP’s Pat Grahame and me.
