Pierre-Edouard Bellemare signs contract with new team following his PTO with the Colorado Avalanche
Veteran center Pierre-Édouard Bellemare isn't ready to retire just yet. After being unexpectedly released from his professional tryout (PTO) with the Avalanche during training camp, Swiss club HC Ajoie signed the 39-year-old French forward for the rest of the season.
This marks Bellemare's first time playing overseas in over a decade. He spent most of his early career in France's Ligue Magnus and Sweden's HockeyAllsvenskan and Elitserien (now SHL) before making his NHL debut with the Flyers at age 29, following an impressive showing for France at the 2014 World Championship. Since then, he's been a reliable fourth-line player for the Golden Knights, Avalanche, Lightning, and Kraken, reaching the Stanley Cup Final twice-once with Vegas in 2018 and again with Tampa Bay in 2022, but both times falling short.
After a quieter season in 2023 with Seattle, where he posted seven points in 40 games, Bellemare became a free agent and saw his ice time drop to a career-low 9:50 per game. Despite limited minutes he remained effective helping the Kraken control 54.9% of shot attempts & 57.4% of expected goals when he was on the ice mostly in defensive roles.
Now joining Ajoie, a struggling Swiss team, Bellemare brings significant NHL experience, with 700 career games compared to just 53 from teammate T.J. Brennan. Although he's likely finished in the NHL, Bellemare could still make an impact internationally, especially with France potentially competing in the 2026 Winter Olympics if Russia remains barred.
