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Francois Beauchemin

Colorado Avalanche To Buy Out Francois Beauchemin

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In an expected move, the Colorado Avalanche will buy out the final season of veteran defenseman Francois Beauchemin’s contract. This is one of the first transactions that is completely caused by the upcoming expansion draft, as the Avalanche will get no added cap space with the move. Because Beauchemin signed his current contract at age 35, the entire $4.5MM hit will stay on the ledger. They will save $1.5MM in terms of actual salary, but the big improvement is in expansion. "<strong

Beauchemin had a no-movement clause and thus required protection in the draft. The Avalanche couldn’t allow that and watch a player like Nikita Zadorov left exposed so this was their only remaining option. We examined the ramifications of not buying out Beauchemin in the Colorado Expansion Primer, and while the team can now protect Zadorov is still vulnerable in net should they choose to protect Semyon Varlamov over Calvin Pickard.

For now though, the 37-year old Beauchemin will likely try to land somewhere else for one last kick at the can. The former Stanley Cup Champion is the epitome of a minute-munching defenseman, having logged at least 21 minutes per game in every season of his career. The third rock on the blueline for the 2006 champion Anaheim Ducks—behind hall of fame defensemen Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer—Beauchemin actually played over 30 minutes a night throughout the playoffs in a suffocating shutdown role.

There will be offers if he wants to continue playing, as he showed that even at his advanced age he can contribute to an NHL team. While he certainly has his detractors when it comes to the analytics community, his experience and fitness will give him a handful of third pairings to choose from around the league.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Deadline Approaches To Ask Players To Waive No-Movement Clauses

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On the heels of yesterday’s report that both Keith Yandle and Dion Phaneuf had been asked to waive their no-movement clauses in order to be exposed for the upcoming expansion draft, speculation is running rampant around the league on who else will be asked. Below is the full list of players who currently require protection due to their clauses. The deadline to submit a request to a player is 4pm CDT today, while the player must inform the team of his decision by the same time on Friday June 16th. Because the Stanley Cup Finals ended last night, Nashville and Pittsburgh will not receive an extension and will need to submit their requests at the same time as every other team.

Elliotte Friedman was on Sportsnet radio today and mentioned that the Anaheim Ducks have spoken with Kevin Bieksa about possibly waiving his clause, something examined at length in our recent Ducks Expansion Primer.

Anaheim (4)
Kevin Bieksa — Expected to be asked.
Ryan Getzlaf
Ryan Kesler
Corey Perry

Arizona (1)
Alex Goligoski

Boston (4)
David Backes
Patrice Bergeron
Zdeno Chara
David Krejci

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Evening Notes: Beauchemin, Tocchet, MacKinnon

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According to Adrian Dater, it seems likely that Francois Beauchemin will not be bought out by the Colorado Avalanche. His contract is for $4.5 MM and only has one season remaining. He is 37 and signed the contract after his 35th birthday according to CapFriendly, which does make a potential buyout less worthwhile. On 35+ contracts, the team does not receive a cap benefit from a buyout, so the move would be made for other reasons. A buyout would have opened up a roster spot for a younger player and perhaps allowed them to accelerate the re-build. More importantly, it would have allowed Sakic to keep an extra young defender protected, such as Mark Barberio, in the upcoming expansion draft. Beauchemin could be asked to waive his No-Movement Clause, but there has been no indication that has been done.

A standard buyout doesn’t seem to be worth the hassle to GM Joe Sakic, so he will look to either move him for a low pick before expansion, or merely ride out the last season with the veteran. All told, Beauchemin’s stats weren’t all that terrible for a team who finished dead last in the standings. He actually performed noticeably better in possession stats than the season prior, hitting 47.9% Corsi For after a dreadful 43.4% in 2015-16. His plus/minus of -14 was actually better than any other defenseman, excluding Erik Johnson who missed half the season. His point production obviously took a hit, and he lost a step in speed, but with only one year remaining and the Avalanche facing larger issues, Sakic might be wise to turn complete attention to the trade market and drafting with the #4 pick.

  • Rick Tocchet is one of, if not the hottest, name on the coaching market right now. His work on the Penguins’ bench has been commended by many in Pittsburgh, and multiple teams with coaching vacancies have already hinted at their interest. The Buffalo Sabres in particular seem quite high on him. According to Dan Rosen, however, Tocchet’s phone has been remained quiet as his team advanced to the finals. Other organizations have put their pursuit of his talents on hold, as they are allowing him to perform his duties for the Penguins squad in the finals. Tocchet struggled in Tampa Bay as a head coach before landing the assistant position in Pittsburgh under then-coach Mike Johnston. He was a vocal critic of the special teams and handling of stars as a continual radio guest in the Pittsburgh area, before getting the recommendation from owner Mario Lemieux. He survived the cleansing of the coaching staff when Johnston was fired, and has thrived in his new role under Mike Sullivan. His ability to communicate effectively with talented players and coordinate plays have been the most appreciated in Steel City.
  • Another note on Sakic and the Avalanche – on Friday, when TSN created its “Top 30 Trade BaitBoard”, Nathan MacKinnon found himself included. While nothing should be out of the question for a team that finished 30th overall and with only 49 points, MacKinnon appears to be the only true untouchable on the team. Nothing short of an absurd overpayment would pry him out of Denver, as his value to that team is greater than to any of the other 29 organizations. The 21 year old only posted 16 goals last season, but the entire team was dreadful, and Nathan is a safe bet to rebound. Anything is possible, but in all likelihood he is the forward around which the rest of the team will be built. When the team drafts at #4 in this year’s draft, it will be with his needs at least partially in mind.

Course Adjustment For Colorado

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Colorado needs to determine the road ahead for its franchise. The unexpected plummet to the 4th overall pick in the draft lottery did not help matters, to be sure, but the Avalanche need more than a Nolan Patrick to catapult them back into contention. The team has lacked identity for years and a team philosophy is hard to isolate. The team finished a league worst 22 wins, good for an embarrassingly bad 48 points. They were not expected to be serious cup contenders coming into the year, but this is a team that had veteran scorers and a decent goaltending duo to back up their young forward core. Yet they finished in dead last in both offensive and defensive categories – 1.74 goals for per 60, and 2.93 goals against. With such an incredible disparity it’s actually impressive they won as many contests as they did.

GM Joe Sakic needs to determine which pieces of his core (if any) are worth keeping. It seems probable that the team could consider trading away its captain in Gabriel Landeskog, and the case for doing so is strong. He potted only 18 goals and 15 assists this season, his 5th full campaign – at the exorbitant price of $5.5 MM (which will become $6 MM next season). The center has never developed into the offensive threat the franchise had hoped when he was selected 2nd overall in 2011. His point totals have dropped for the second season in a row. However, his Corsi For % was actually his career best at 52.8, and on a team that bled goals and chances, he performed admirably in his own end. Whether he is worth his deal is certainly a less pressing issue than stopping the bleeding. Unless an over-payment comes along the Avalanche would be wise to stick out at least another season with the still-promising left wing.

Speedy forward Matt Duchene is two years older, and fared only marginally better, with 18 goals and 23 assists. Duchene is not physically imposing a 5’11”, and he is more effective on the rush. His speed and versatility are his greatest assets. Duchene’s skating can burn defenders and his skating is among the tops in the league. When considering that the quick and fleet-footed Nathan MacKinnon is also on the team, it seems that Colorado might want to double down on the speed aspect of their negligible identity. Duchene would almost certainly draw more interest than Landeskog, as the forward did pot 30 goals just the previous season. Although the talk seems distant now, there was considerable conversation following the 2009 draft that the Islanders would have done better to draft Duchene than John Tavares. This is a player who can make a meaningful difference on the playmaking side of things, but saw a drastic drop off in play. Trading Duchene seems the most logical option, but his departure will only leave the center ice position more lackluster.

The Avalanche could toy with moving RFA center Mikhail Grigorenko, or RFA defenseman Patrick Wiercioch, but the returns after last season would be marginal at best. One can only assume that Sakicc attempted to unload forwards like Blake Comeau ($2.5 MM), and now UFA defenseman Fedor Tyutin to no avail. Thankfully the well-worn Jarome Iginla was shipped off to Los Angeles and there are indeed older players coming off the books. The 35 year-old Rene Bourque and 32 year-old John Mitchell will both be UFAs and will have difficulty finding work next season in the league.

Ultimately, the problem for the Avalanche wasn’t that their stars didn’t produce, although that certainly didn’t help their goal totals. Their team was filled with washed-up veterans and outside of the big 3 on offense there was really no threat to score. On the backend, once Erik Johnson went down, the rest of the defense was not nearly good enough to keep up. Tyson Barrie is the only player who should feel remotely safe, and the young RFA Nikita Zadorov is likely to hang around. Francois Beauchemin is not the defender he was even two seasons ago, and if he could somehow be traded it would help performance substantially.

Trading away the #4 selection is usually an unthinkable notion with a team at this stage of a rebuild, but if they can move it for substantial help on defense or on the wing, it should be considered. Especially considering how mediocre this draft class is, it might turn out to be a prudent maneuver. One of Landeskog or Duchene seems likely to depart, but without a king’s ransom coming back, it’s not likely to alter long-term prospects for the franchise. Colorado simply needs to draft better, develop better, and find a coach with the structure that a young, struggling squad will need. If they could make a serious pitch to Karl Alzner this off-season, or perhaps even Thomas Vanek on the wing, they would be in a better position to compete on a nightly basis. Their offensive stars are unlikely to be quite as dreadful in points production yet again. Perhaps the most positive aspect of the upcoming season will be the infusion of youth from the minor leagues, and the ditching of dead weight up and down the lineup. Sakic will need to provide stability for the franchise and perhaps even display some patience rather than dumping a slumping offensive talent for a lackluster package. Although fans may wish for change at any cost, ditching their core players for scraps is not likely the best way forward. Whatever course Colorado decides to take, fans around the league will be watching with interest this summer.

Deadline Primer: Colorado Avalanche

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With the trade deadline now just a week away, we continue to take a closer look at each team. Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?

The Colorado Avalanche are a mess. Their season began with a coach walking out on them just two months before the start of the season, and has gone downhill from there. Now with just 35 points through 58 games they are a lock for last place in the NHL and are about to pull the trigger on the latest rebuild.

Even though much of their team is still young enough to be considered developing, GM Joe Sakic has said that there are very few untouchables. It’s time for a reset in Mile High, and the deadline looks to be the starting point.

Record

16-39-3, 7th in Central Division

Deadline Status

Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$3.38MM – full-season cap hit, 47/50 contracts per CapFriendly.

Draft Picks

2017: COL 1st, COL 2nd, COL 4th, NYR 4th, COL 5th, COL 6th, COL 7th
2018: COL 1st, COL 2nd, COL 3rd, COL 4th, COL 5th, COL 6th, COL 7th

Trade Chips

The Avalanche are one of just a few sellers (perhaps just two) that have appeared so far, and it may benefit them greatly. Multiple teams have already been in contact on Matt Duchene and Gabriel Landeskog, and the pair of young forwards look like some of the biggest fishes on the market this week. But it doesn’t end there for the bottom-dwelling Avs. <a rel=

Jarome Iginla is almost certain to be dealt, as he’s expressed his want to go somewhere to try and win a Stanley Cup. While he doesn’t provide the same type of offense he once did—Iginla only has seven goals and 16 points this season—many teams might think that is just a symptom of the team around him. Indeed, he is just a year removed from scoring 22 goals for the Avalanche in 2015-16. When you’ve scored 618 goals in the NHL, plus another 37 in the playoffs a team is going to want you for the experience you bring. Look for Iginla to be dealt on the deadline itself for a draft pick.

The team also has Rene Bourque and Patrick Wiercioch drawing calls, with both likely costing very little at the deadline. Mikhail Grigorenko and Carl Soderberg are interesting options up front, but one may be too young to deal and the other too expensive. It’s all on the table for Sakic, who listed just Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Tyson Jost as the untouchables on his squad.

If Sakic really wants to blow it up, perhaps he’ll even consider the idea of trading Tyson Barrie, the puck moving defenseman that may have been at the core of the Roy departure. The Avalanche signed him to a four-year deal this summer, but has seen his defensive play deteriorate even further.

Five Players To Watch: C Matt Duchene, LW Gabriel Landeskog, RW Jarome Iginla, D Patrick Wiercioch, F Carl Soderberg

Team Needs

1) Young Defensemen – The Avalanche lost Nikita Zadorov for the season recently, but his development into an NHL defender has brightened up what has been a nightmare season. The team will be looking for more players like him to build around and finally fix their defensive problems. Francois Beauchemin and Fedor Tyutin won’t be around when this team is ready to contend again, and Erik Johnson will likely be a shell of himself—he’s signed through the 2022-23 season, but is about to turn 29 and surely won’t continue at his level into his mid-thirties.

2) Draft Picks – The team needs to restock its cupboards and though this draft is considered to have a weak top-end, there is a lot of talent throughout the first round especially at the center position. The Avalanche have set themselves up to be almost guaranteed a shot at one of Nolan Patrick, Nico Hischier or Gabriel Vilardi, but could also add depth with some first round picks if they deal off their big assets.

3) Prospects – The other option is just to trade for already drafted prospects and hope they develop the way is expected. Sakic has reportedly asked for each of these three things in a trade for Duchene, essentially hedging his bets across all three avenues. For a team that was just out of the playoffs the last couple of seasons, it doesn’t have to be a decade long rebuild. A quick turnaround isn’t guaranteed, but with a legitimate #1 center in MacKinnon and solid goaltending, a few prospects making a big jump could push them back into a playoff race as soon as 2018-19.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Joe Sakic On Avalanche: “We Still Have To Get Younger”

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Colorado Avalanche GM Joe Sakic is perhaps the most sought after interview in the league these days, as rumors swirls about his two star forwards Gabriel Landeskog and Matt Duchene. It seems like half the league has been in contact with Sakic, who confirmed to Terry Frei of the Denver Post that he has been getting calls on the pair. Sakic disputes though that they’re on the block, saying that “I’m not going to make a deal just to make a deal,” and that he’s not the one spreading the rumors.

Sakic later says that he knows “we still have to get younger” and that “we’re going to free up some cap room and try and keep building up the younger guys.” While this makes sense for any rebuilding team, it’s interesting that Duchene and Landeskog would not be included in that youth movement. Landeskog is only 24, and currently the team captain, while Duchene is 26 and a former 30-goal scorer. Most teams would kill for their core to be that young and talented. In fact, Frei reports that when Sakic was speaking about the untouchables on the team, he only mentioned Nathan MacKinnon (21), Mikko Rantanen (20) and Tyson Jost (18).

The team only has a handful of older players, and even fewer that play important minutes for them. The idea of getting younger is always a good one—especially in an NHL that is continually shifting towards speed and skill—but not always possible. The second part of the statement is one that holds more weight, that they are looking to clear out cap room. If they are looking to get younger, it’s not clear who they would need that cap room for. The team has a handful of contracts coming off the books next season, and only a couple of important RFAs to sign. Perhaps it’s just a commentary on the contracts of Duchene, Landeskog and even Tyson Barrie who are all not performing to their standards.

If Sakic is truly looking to move age and money out, Jarome Iginla, Francois Beauchemin and Carl Soderberg are all on the wrong side of 30 and carry hefty cap hits (for at least the rest of this season). Perhaps those are the names he’d be floating if he had the choice.

For now, Avalanche fans should expect more of the same at the bottom of the NHL standings. “Getting younger” usually doesn’t result in immediate upgrades to the big-league roster (Toronto Maple Leafs be damned).

Trade Candidates: Francois Beauchemin

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With the trade deadline quickly approaching, we will be profiling several players in the weeks ahead that are likely to be dealt by March 1st.

The Colorado Avalanche remain in the NHL’s basement, and 36 year-old defenseman Francois Beauchemin could move in exchange for draft picks and prospects. Veteran defenseman are a playoff team GM’s guilty pleasure, and the cup-winning Beauchemin could prove tempting come trade deadline time. Unfortunately for the Avalanche, Beauchemin’s contract situation may hinder any potential deal.

Contract

Beauchemin is in the 2nd year of a three-year deal worth $4.5MM a year. The contract also contains a No-Movement Clause. Finally, because it is a 35+ contract, the cap hit remains if Beauchemin retires before next season.

2016-17

Beauchemin’s production dropped from last season’s surprise resurgence, but remains in line with his career average. The Avalanche started the season with Beauchemin on the 2nd pairing, but recent injuries to Erik Johnson and Tyson Barrie have propelled Beauchemin to average over 27 minutes a night. The increased ice time doesn’t seem to have a negative influence on the veteran defenseman, who has potted 1G and 1A in those last five games. If this season tells us anything, it’s that Beauchemin still has enough gas in the tank to eat large minutes for a contending NHL team.

Season Stats

45 games: 2 goals, 9 assists, 11 points. 45.8 CF%, -5, 21:18 ATOI, 100 BLK

Potential Suitors

Playoff-bound teams with enough cap room to handle Beauchemin’s $4.5MM cap hit, and appealing enough for Beauchemin to waive his NMC. The Columbus Blue Jackets could use Beauchemin’s services, and have the cap room to spare. The team could benefit from a veteran presence on a blue with only one player older than 26. Columbus may even be attractive to Beauchemin as a return to a former team. Beauchemin played 11 games for the Blue Jackets in 2005-06 before being traded to Anaheim.

Another potential suitor with ties to Beauchemin is the Montreal Canadiens. Even though the Canadiens just acquired Nikita Nesterov from the Tampa Bay Lightning, a couple of cap moves would create enough space for a proven veteran defenseman. Andrei Markov is 38 and no guarantee to remain healthy during a long playoff run. Beauchemin would provide insurance and additional protection in front of Carey Price.

Likelihood Of A Trade

50-50. Without considering Beauchemin’s contract, his skill and experience make him a hot commodity around the NHL. The problem lies with the three-pronged contractual downside. He still has one year left at $4.5MM, he is on a 35+ contract, and he has a NMC. Any of those three factors could deter interested teams, or at least lower the Avalanche’s expected return. A team with cap space and a good chance at making the finals, however, could provide the perfect landing spot.

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