François Beauchemin

Junior

Beauchemin played major junior hockey in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) for four seasons with the Laval Titan Collège Français, Acadie-Bathurst Titan and Moncton Wildcats. In his NHL draft year, he recorded 47 points in 70 games with Laval. He was then drafted 76th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. Upon being drafted, he returned to the QMJHL for two more seasons, helping Acadie-Bathurst to a President's Cup in 1999 as League champions.

Professional

After signing an entry-level contract with the Canadiens, Beauchemin turned professional in the 2000–01 season with American Hockey League affiliate, the Quebec Citadelles. In 56 games from the blueline, Beauchemin was able to develop on the bottom pair with 3 goals and 9 points. After a stagnant season in 2001–02 Beauchemin experienced a brief loan to the ECHL club, the Mississippi Sea Wolves.

Beauchemin enjoyed a successful third season within the Canadiens organization in 2002–03, playing in 75 games with relocated AHL affiliate, the Hamilton Bulldogs, increasing his offensive presence with a strong defensive game in totalling 28 points in 75 games as the club finished atop the standings before losing in the Calder Cup finals in a deciding 7th game to the Houston Aeros. Beauchemin made his NHL debut with the Montreal Canadiens appearing in a single game during the season against the Minnesota Wild on February 27, 2003. On June 17, 2003, Beauchemin as a restricted free agent was re-signed to a two-year contract with the Canadiens.

In the 2003–04 season, Beauchemin was unable to crack the Canadiens roster, remaining in the AHL as the Bulldogs top defenseman to improve his career best points totals with 36 in 77 games. On September 14, 2004, Beauchemin was placed on waivers and claimed by the Columbus Blue Jackets. As NHL play was suspended due to the lockout, he spent the 2004–05 season with the Blue Jackets' AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch.

Anaheim Ducks

In the 2005–06 season, Beauchemin earned an NHL roster spot for opening night with the Blue Jackets and played 11 games with the club in before being traded, along with Tyler Wright, to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in exchange for Sergei Fedorov on November 15, 2005. He made his Ducks debut on November 18 in a game against the Colorado Avalanche and later scored his first NHL goal in game against the Carolina Hurricanes on December 6, 2005. Beauchemin emerged as a top-four defenseman with the Ducks and immediately began producing, scoring 34 points in 61 games after the trade to finish fourth among rookie defenseman in scoring. In the post-season, Beauchemin contributed with 9 points in 16 games to lead all rookie defenseman.

After establishing himself with the Ducks, Beauchemin helped the club to a Stanley Cup championship in just his second full season in 2006–07. He contributed four goals and four assists during the 2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs for the Ducks. In the following 2007–08 season, Beauchemin continued his play among the top four defenseman on the Ducks, and appeared in his 200th NHL game against the Philadelphia Flyers on February 2, 2008.

On November 14, 2008, Beauchemin suffered a torn ACL in his left knee in a game against the Nashville Predators. He was expected to be sidelined for the remainder of the 2008–09 season, but returned to the Ducks for their Western Conference Quarter-final playoff series against the San Jose Sharks.

Toronto Maple Leafs

On July 6, 2009, as an unrestricted free agent and with the Ducks close to the salary cap ceiling, Beauchemin left the Ducks to sign a three-year $11.4m contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Looked upon to bring a veteran presence and leadership from the blueline, he appeared in all 82 of Toronto's games during the 2009–10 season. Beauchemin produced 5 goals and 26 points and led the club in time on ice in his first season as an Alternate captain with the Maple Leafs. He appeared in his 300th career game against the Los Angeles Kings on January 26, 2010.

In the following 2010–11 campaign, Beauchemin began the season on the top defensive pairing, alongside Dion Phaneuf. With his production down and on the back of last season's disappointment for the Leafs of missing the playoffs and still on the outside looking in, on February 9, 2011, Beauchemin was traded back to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for left winger Joffrey Lupul, defenceman Jake Gardiner and a conditional fourth-round draft pick in 2013.

Return to Anaheim

Beauchemin was a welcomed return for the Anaheim Ducks, resuming a role as a top four defensemen to help the club reach the post-season. On March 23, 2011, he appeared in his 400th career game against the Dallas Stars.

In his sixth season with the Ducks in 2011–12, Buechemin provided a defensive anchor and was looked upon to lead the Ducks in ice time. He led the league in short-handed ice time situations and on January 21, blocked 9 shots against the Ottawa Senators to set a Ducks franchise record. On January 20, 2012, Beauchemin was signed to a three-year contract extension worth US$10.5 million to remain in Anaheim. He finished the season scoring 8 goals and 22 points in 82 games.

In the shortened lockout 2012–13 season, Beauchemin appeared in all 48 regular season games for the Ducks, and again led the club in ice time. He led the blueline in scoring with 24 points and appeared in his 500th career game on February 6, 2013 against the Avalanche. He recorded a career high 4 points (all assists) in a victory over the Colorado Avalanche on February 24, 2013. In the post-season, Beauchemin scored his 10th career playoff goal, to surpass Scott Niedermayer as the franchise leader in goals from the blueline, in game one of the Conference Quarterfinals against the Detroit Red Wings. Beauchemin finished fourth in James Norris Memorial Trophy voting, the award given to the NHL's defenceman of the year. Beauchemin, however, lost-out to winner P. K. Subban and finalists Ryan Suter and Kris Letang. He won The Hockey News' Rod Langway Award as Best Defensive Defenceman in 2013. He was also selected to the League's Second All-Star Team.

In the 2013–14 season, Beauchemin scored 17 points in 70 games, placing 5th in the NHL in plus/minus as the Ducks claimed the top seeding in the Western Conference from the regular season. Beauchemin played his 600th career game on March 23, against the Florida Panthers and was chosen as the Ducks nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.

Beauchemin scored a career high 11 goals for 23 points in 63 games with the Ducks during the 2014–15 season. He recorded nine assists during the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs, as the Ducks were eliminated in seven games in the Western Conference Finals by the Chicago Blackhawks. With the Ducks acquisition of Kevin Bieksa in the off-season, signalling the end of his Ducks tenure as an impending free agent, Beauchemin left the club second among all defenseman in franchise history in goals, assists and points. He was also tied with Ryan Getzlaf for the lead with 97 post-season games.

Colorado Avalanche

On July 1, 2015, and in the opening hour of free agency, Beauchemin signed a three-year, $13.5 million contract with the Colorado Avalanche. Adding a veteran presence to a young blueline in Denver, Beauchemin recorded a career-high three assists in his debut with the Avalanche on opening night in a 5-4 defeat to the Minnesota Wild on October 8, 2015. In playing in a top-pairing role, alongside Erik Johnson in the 2015–16 season, Beauchemin matched his rookie season with the Mighty Ducks in 2005–06 in contributing with 8 goals and 36 points while leading the Avalanche in ice-time through 82 games.

On October 13, 2016, two days before the Avalanche home opener, Beauchemin was named an alternate captain for the 2016–17 season.

International play

Beauchemin was selected for the 2010 Winter Olympics summer preliminary roster for Team Canada in August 2009, but did not make the final roster cut. After missing out on the post-season with Toronto, he made his senior debut at the 2010 IIHF World Championships. Serving as an alternate captain, Beauchemin recorded an assist in 7 games, unable to prevent Canada from finishing in seventh place.

Personal life

Beauchemin and his wife Marie Claude have two children: a son, Samuel (born July 16, 2006), and a daughter, Emily (born April 20, 2009). Both were born in Anaheim, California. The family resides in their native Sorel, Quebec in the off-season.