Pierre-Edouard Bellemare signs PTO with his former team

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Daniel Lucente
September 11, 2024 (4:16 PM)

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An NHL insider has revealed that Pierre-Edouard Bellemare has signed a PTO with the Colorado Avalanche, a team he already spent two seasons with in the past.

Pierre-Edouard (PE) Bellemare is getting another shot with the Colorado Avalanche, inking a professional tryout according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The French forward will look to secure a guaranteed contract in what would be his second stint with the team, known more for his defensive game.

PE Bellemare, 39, told French media last month he hadn't given up on his NHL career. He has kept himself fit while waiting for an opportunity by training with Skelleftea AIK in Sweden. A reliable defensive center for well over a decade, he had a good run, though things didn't go as smoothly last season as he struggled to hold down a regular spot in the lineup.

After two seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning, PE Bellemare reached free agency and inked a league-minimum contract with the Seattle Kraken. He missed six weeks in December and February with a leg injury and was often a healthy scratch when healthy. The scrappy center played just 40 games, netting four goals and seven points, and averaged a career-low 9:50 in ice time.

At this stage in his career, PE Bellemare brings more of a smart, positional game than a physical one. Despite turning 40 this season, he remains a reliable fourth-line center, although with limited offense, he is not likely to play a full 82-game schedule in today's fast-paced, high-scoring NHL.

The Avalanche, on the other hand, understand what he brings to the table. Through the 2019-2021 season where he played in Colorado, PE Bellemare put up 18 goals and 15 assists for 33 points over 122 games, with an average of 12:31 of ice time per game and a plus/minus rating of +8. Now, it's up to him to prove that there's something left in the tank during training camp.

Source:
Elliotte Friedman on X

Source: ESPN
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare Stats