Colorado Avalanche: 4 Players the Team Must Unload

Francois Beauchemin

Position: Defenseman

Age: 36

Height: 6’1

Weight: 208 lbs

Shoots: Left

Contract:  $4.5 million cap hit through 2018

Defenseman Francois Beauchemin was a good player on a good team with the Anaheim Ducks. He was a semi-good player on a semi-good team last year for the Colorado Avalanche, though I did appreciate his leadership.

This year, he’s a bad player on a bad team. Right now he’s got a Corsi For of 40.2% and a relative Corsi of -10.5. That means the Avs definitely are not better when he’s on the ice — we’ve all got stories of watching Beauchemin watch the puck go in.

What’s more, Beachemin is on the north side of not just 30 but 35, so he’s in his declining years. Yet he carries a cap hit of $4.5 million through one more season.

Scenario: Unloading Francois Beauchemin won’t be easy. What makes him undesirable to the Avs — his age and cap hit — would make him undesirable to other teams for trade. This fact is compounded by his no movement clause, which means he can’t be moved or even waived without his own consent.

That said, the Avs have two options. They could convince him to accept a trade to a contender who needs a veteran blueliner in the playoffs. He played in 61 post season games with the Anaheim Ducks. The Avs might have to retain salary, though, which isn’t ideal.

The other option is to buy his contract out. This doesn’t take his salary off the books for next season, but it does open up a roster position for a young defenseman.