Beauchemin returns to face old team

To Beauch’ or not to Beauch’ … that was the question the Ducks were facing this summer with free agent defenseman Francois Beauchemin.

The Ducks would have liked to have re-signed Beauchemin, but it probably wasn’t realistic given their financial situation.

At the time they wanted to bring back Scott Niedermayer and/or Chris Pronger and boost their offense as well.

So how close did the negotiations get?

“We didn’t have any talks at all,” Beauchemin said. “They were right up on the cap and they wanted to add some offense to the team.”

Asked about it Sunday, Ducks coach Randy Carlyle told a slightly different story.

“From my conversations with management, there was a branch that was extended to Beauchemin through his agent, and it was a flat-out ‘no,’ ” Carlyle said.

“Those are things that happen. We understand, in the new salary cap era, players get moved.”

The answer to the he-said they-said probably rests in how much the Ducks offered Beauchemin, a top-four defenseman who helped the Ducks win the 2007 Stanley Cup.

The aftermath is clear:

After getting what he perceived to be a disappointing response from the Ducks, Beauchemin signed a three-year deal with Toronto believed to be worth $11.4 million.

Both sides, which face each other tonight when Toronto plays the Ducks, harbor no ill will toward each other, though.

The Ducks remember Beauchemin as a player that developed into an upper-tier puck mover with a hard shot.

“Beauch’ was a competitive guy that we liked here, played very hard for us,” Carlyle said.

“I think this organization was good for him. It was a good fit. He’s indebted to this hockey club. He got an opportunity to play for our hockey club, and other teams weren’t prepared to give him the same opportunity. He made some sacrifices. He changed his body makeup, and he understood what he needed to do to figure it out.”

Beauchemin became a key piece to the Ducks’ defense. Paired with Scott Niedermayer, he proved capable of handling heavy minutes.

It was Beauchemin that scored a power play goal in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals to help seal the Cup, undoubtedly the pinnacle of a career.

But when he will look across at his former teammates tonight … well, there aren’t many of them.

Niedermayer is the only remaining defenseman from that 2007 team.

 The Ducks underwent two major makeovers at the trade deadline and summer. Beauchemin understands.

“A lot of change, both offense and defense,” he said.

“A lot of new faces. I’m not really surprised. In this new hockey world, the cap situation, you’ve got to make moves.”

That’s not to say Beauchemin won’t feel a slight emotional tug tonight, particularly when the Ducks do a video tribute to him during the first television timeout.

“I have great memories here,” Beauchemin said. “They gave me a chance, an opportunity, my first chance to play on a regular basis in the NHL.”

Post from: Ducks blog

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