Pierre-Édouard Bellemare heads back to Colorado on PTO

A well-liked veteran forward finds his way back to Colorado.

As we grow ever closer to the start of the NHL season, the Colorado Avalanche aren’t done adding potential depth pieces to their roster quite yet. Elliotte Friedman announced this morning that Pierre-Édourard Bellemare is heading back to Colorado on a professional try-out contract.

Bellemare played two seasons previously in Colorado, during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons. Last season, the 39-year-old forward played for the Seattle Kraken. In total, he played a total of 40 games, putting up four goals and three assists for a total of seven points last season.

While those offensive numbers might not jump off the page, given his age, you do not at all need him to contribute a lot offensively, especially on a team that boasts a multitude of offensive firepower already. His defensive metrics on the other hand are still pretty solid, which is arguably his most important attribute, as he’ll likely be targeting a fourth-line role in Colorado. And beyond anything else, you more likely want that line to be reliable defensively, and if they happen to contribute offensively occasionally, great.

That all being said, this PTO is a great gamble for Colorado. Bellemare was well-liked in Colorado during his time here previously. If his training camp goes well and makes the team, he can certainly help Colorado at the fourth-line center position or on the wing. He could also bring a phenomenal veteran presence both on and off the ice, similar to what players like Andrew Cogliano and Jack Johnson were able to bring to the team in recent seasons. It’ll be exciting to see how his training camp goes as he vies for a roster spot.