In defenseman Francois Beauchemin, the Anaheim Ducks saw what the Colorado Avalanche could not. Ducks general manager Bob Murray wants Beauchemin, 37, to tutor his young defensemen and be a leader in the locker room, whether he’s playing or not.
Months ago before the Avalanche bought out the final year of Beauchemin’s contract ($4.5 million), I had the same thoughts when learning Colorado intends to introduce three young defensemen to the league. I thought Beauchemin, an alternate captain last season, would be the ideal mentor, a player/coach who would not disrupt the locker room if he was assigned a third-pairing role, or even being told he was a healthy scratch.
“He will bring valuable leadership and help our young defensemen build character and be successful NHL players, as Francois has been in his career,” Murray told reporters Monday, after signing Beauchemin to a one-year, $1 million contract. “We feel Francois still has a lot to give, and his passion and drive to win is unquestioned.”
Beauchemin, who has played 525 games for Anaheim and is now beginning his third stint with the team, will still get his entire buyout agreement with the Avs, who will pay him $1.5 million to play against them this coming season, and another $1.5 million in 2018-19 when Beauchemin is in the first year of retirement. Because of the age 35-over rule, Colorado also has Beauchemin’s $4.5 million 2017-18 salary serve as dead money against its cap
The Avs have just three signed veteran defensemen in Erik Johnson, Tyson Barrie and Mark Barbario. Restricted free agent Nikita Zadorov is threatening to play in his native Russia, and possibly for the Russian Olympic team in February. The young defensive prospects are Andrei Mironov, 23, and 22-year-olds Chris Bigras and Anton Lindholm.
In that blueline corps, Beauchemin doesn’t hurt you. He’s an asset. He helps you avoid another league-low 48 point season like 2016-17.
He was interviewed on NHL Network Radio on Tuesday.
“Last year, being what it was, it was really difficult to stay positive,” Beauchemin said in the interview. “And it’s disappointing to hear that you’re getting bought out because I was expecting to play my last year here and retire at the end of the year. When I got bought out, I did get some calls from different teams; it’s always nice to hear. But I wasn’t willing to move my family somewhere that we didn’t know, just for the one year. That’s what made it so special when the Ducks called me.”
Beauchemin said he wouldn’t have signed a one-year deal with any other team. Two of his children were born in Anaheim, and he said everyone in the family gave him thumbs-up on the move back to southern California.
The Beauchemins moved from Anaheim to Colorado in 2015 after Francois agreed to a three-year, $13.5 million contract with the Avs. Beauchemin agreed to the deal because he couldn’t get another team to give him a three-year deal. And the Avalanche wanted him to play in the top pairing with Johnson.
In his first year in Colorado, the Avs finished 39-39-4 for 82 points.
“I wouldn’t say it didn’t go right here from the get-go because I thought my first year here, two years ago, was a pretty good season,” Beauchemin said on the NHL Network Radio. “We came seven or eight points away from the playoffs. We had a tough end of the year, where we lost (six) games straight. If we won a few of those we would have probably been in.”
