The Colorado Avalanche have signed veteran forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare to a tryout contract, the team announced on Wednesday. Bellemare, 39, previously played for the Avalanche during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons, contributing nine goals in each as a depth forward. Following his time in Colorado, he spent two seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning and last season with the Seattle Kraken, where he played 40 games, tallying four goals and seven points.
Bellemare was well-liked in the Avalanche locker room and could help fill the gap left by Andrew Cogliano’s retirement, particularly on the penalty kill and as a fourth-line veteran presence. The team lost leadership with the departures of Cogliano and defenseman Jack Johnson.
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare
For Bellemare to play this season, he would need to sign a standard contract. The Avs have a history of successful tryout deals, as seen with Joel Kiviranta, who earned a contract last year. Colorado’s roster depth has been impacted by the loss of forwards Fredrik Olofsson, Zach Parise, Brandon Duhaime, and Yakov Trenin. The team could also be missing key players such as Valeri Nichushkin (suspension), Gabe Landeskog (knee), and possibly Artturi Lehkonen (shoulder) for the season opener, creating potential roster spots for Bellemare.
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