An old buddy is being extended an invitation to camp by the Colorado Avalanche for a Professional Tryout (PTO) deal. He will have a chance to make the roster, in the unlikely event that you don’t track every move of the hockey season. A PTO is reserved for as-yet unsigned NHL veterans aiming to win another full deal.
I think Pierre-Edouard Bellemare would make an excellent PTO. He matches the more traditional mold that you’ll usually find in these kinds of situations: a veteran player who has perhaps slowed down and is looking to join a team for a final Stanley Cup run.
I’ve already written about how Colorado’s offseason strategy needs to be both strategic and economical. It might be a very wise move to “kick the tires” on P.E. Bellemare. The Avalanche are not particularly wealthy. However, a small one-year contract to possibly complete the fourth line would be well-run business.
PTOs have been effectively utilized by the Avalanche in recent times. Over the past few seasons, both Joel Kiviranta and Jack Johnson took full advantage of such possibilities. There’s no reason Bellemare couldn’t earn his way into a full-time position in the future.
In this case, neither the player nor the team have anything at all to lose. If Colorado chooses not to make an offer after the preseason, any other team may step in and sign Bellemare.
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare scored nine goals in each of his two seasons during his prior stay in Colorado (2019–2021). He has played in Tampa Bay and most recently Seattle since leaving the Avs. His output and use were much lower last year. In forty games, he scored seven points.
If you take a closer look at the output the Avalanche received in 2023–24 from Chris Wagner and Fredrik Olofsson combined in their 4C role, you can see that it totals 11 points in twice as many starts. I offer this as a question of perspective rather than to minimize that contribution.
Last season, Chris Wagner did receive a one-year deal that extends through the 2025 season. But if the Avs like what they see in camp, it shouldn’t be a barrier to them giving Bellemare a similar deal. Conversely, Freddy Olofsson is currently competing in the Swiss NL.
It is important to note that the fourth line does not initially concern point scoring. The bottom line is typically used as a check and a protective framework. Pierre-Edouard Bellemare is aware of the significance of the task. He can provide assistance on the PK unit and is tough and gritty.
Will he be Andrew Cogliano’s full replacement, who recently retired? He does check a number of those vet boxes, but not exactly. The team calls him Belly most of the time, but back when he wore blue and burgundy, I called him Physical Education, or Phys-Ed.
Off the rink, he is highly regarded and steady. Not just among the front desk staff, who are eager to give him this opportunity, but above all among his teammates.
Hannah, Bellemare’s wife, has a YouTube series called Cooking With NHL that you may have seen if you’re as ravenous for any Avalanche-related news as I am. Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and most recently a recipe from Gabe Landeskog have all appeared in the healthy videos. Ryan Graves and Philipp Grubauer, two more of Belly’s former Avalanche colleagues, have also been visitors.
These small, everyday things may seem insignificant, but they convey a deeper meaning. Throughout his ten years in the National Hockey League, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare has forged enduring friendships. Bellemare has faced the greatest opposition in the world in precisely 700 games.
Bellemare won’t play eighty-two games this upcoming season, in my opinion. However, anything between forty and sixty can be vital to the group. It’s no secret that Cal Ritchie is highly anticipated by the organization. They probably won’t require the rookie to man a specialized checking line, though. If the team does choose to give Ritchie some runway, Bellemare gives them flexibility.
Lastly, I would never undervalue the motivational power of having a grizzled grinder in the locker room. Bellemare would be the oldest player on the Avalanche roster at 39. Teams want to get behind a player like that and give it their all to help them win a cup.
Belly’s chance for glory in 2022 was unexpectedly rejected by the Avalanche, following his departure from Colorado to join the Lightning. I’m sure #41 felt both happy and sad to see his former teammates prosper at his expense. A winning combination following a joyous reunion would make for an enduring plot.
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