Ducks bring defenseman Francois Beauchemin back for third stint

The ties that bind Francois Beauchemin and the Ducks may have separated on occasion but in reality they’ve never really broken.

More proof of that came Monday when the Ducks brought back the longtime defenseman for a third term with the franchise, signing him to a one-year contract. RDS.ca reported a $1 million deal, with an additional $500,000 that can be earned through incentives based on games played and rounds the Ducks advance in the playoffs.

This could be a fitting way for the Quebec native to wrap up his NHL career, ending it in the place where he first blossomed into a tough, minutes-eating defenseman that played in all situations. Beauchemin said he had considered retirement before Team Canada talked him into joining it for some pre-Olympic tournament games, including the Spengler Cup this December.

It was a call from Ducks general manager Bob Murray on Saturday that had him shifting his plans after deciding that he wasn’t ready to move his family from Colorado to an unfamiliar locale for a year following some conversations with other teams.

“Back when I was (in Anaheim), I always said I wanted to end my career there,” Beauchemin said. “Now that I have a chance to go back and end my career with the Ducks, it could not end in a better way. I’m thrilled and I’m excited for that chance.”

Over Beauchemin’s 12 full seasons, nine of them have been spent with the Ducks and 525 of his 836 regular-season games have been with the team. All of his 97 playoff games have come with the Ducks, the most for a defenseman in club history. Those include him being a vital part of the 2007 Stanley Cup-winning club during his initial four-year run.

Beauchemin, 37, ranks high in Ducks annals for defensemen as he sits second in goals (53) and third in points (126) and assists (179). His 10 game-winning goals also rank third among franchise blue-liners.

Though beyond his prime, Beauchemin will give the Ducks some experienced depth to open 2017-18, particularly with Hampus Lindholm and Sami Vatanen expected to miss a significant chunk of time to start the season as they recover from shoulder surgeries.

“We’re pleased to be able to bring back Francois Beauchemin to the team,” Murray said. “He will bring valuable leadership and help our young defensemen build character and be successful NHL players, as Francois has been in his career.

“We feel Francois still has a lot to give, and his passion and drive to win is unquestioned.”

An assistant captain during his second stint with the Ducks from 2011-15, Beauchemin joins returning elder statesman Kevin Bieksa as those that can assist Cam Fowler in helping mentor talented Brandon Montour and physical Josh Manson as they further establish themselves as everyday players.

“They’re looking obviously for a veteran defenseman to try to help out the young guys,” Beauchemin said. “They know me. They know how I play. I know the system and it should be an easy adjustment.”

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Beauchemin spent the last two seasons with Colorado after leaving the Ducks as a free agent in the summer of 2015 when the two sides could not get together on a contract. The Ducks were open to re-signing him for two years but Beauchemin wanted the three that he got with the Avalanche.

The Avalanche decided to move on, buying out the final year of Beauchemin’s deal after a 2016-17 season in which he had a minus-14 rating over an average of 21 1/2 minutes per game. He also offered five goals and 13 assists in 81 contests from an offensive standpoint but Colorado didn’t want to be forced into protecting an older player that possessed a no-move clause.

In addition to his Ducks salary, Beauchemin will get $1.5 million this year and next from the Avalanche. Now he will postpone the family’s plan to move back to Quebec for good and return to Southern California, going from the worst team in the league to one of its best that wants another crack at playing for the Cup.

“It’s always fun to hear that people want you,” he said. “I was going to go back home to Denver and spend the winter there. I got excited and I changed my mind pretty quick.”