Ducks Sign Francois Beauchemin to Three-Year Extension

The Anaheim Ducks have announced that they have signed defenseman Francois Beauchemin to a three-year contract extension worth $10.5 million. The deal will average out to $3.5 million per season. He would have been an unrestricted free agent this summer. In 47 games this season, he has six goals and 12 assists for 18 points. Not a bad signing for the Ducks, as Beauchemin brings a lot of experience to their defense. He has good size, can log lots of minutes, and can play a physical game. He should continue to be a good fit on the team for the next three seasons.

Ducks Acquire Beauchemin from Maple Leafs for Lupul, Gardiner

The Anaheim Ducks announced on Wednesday that they have acquired defenseman Francois Beauchemin from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for right wing Joffrey Lupul, defenseman Jake Gardiner, and a conditional fourth round pick in the 2013 Entry Draft. Beauchemin has one more season left on his current contract, while Lupul still has two more years on his current deal. In 54 games so far this season, Beachemin has two goals and 10 assists for 12 points, while Lupul has five goals and eight assists for 13 points in 26 games. He missed 28 games earlier this season after having back surgery last April. In 30 games with the University of Wisconsin this season, Gardiner has seven goals and 23 assists for 30 points. This move works for both teams, as it addresses needs for both Anaheim and Toronto. Beachemin has good size, can log lots of minutes, and can play a physical game. He will bring lots of defensive experience to the team, where he previously played from 2005 to 2009. Lupul brings some much needed offensive and goal scoring experience to the Maple Leafs' roster. However, he has battled inconsistency and injury issues over the past couple of seasons, so Lupul could be a risky acquisition if he cannot stay healthy or improve his offensive game. Gardiner, though, is the prize for Toronto in this trade. He has lots of offensive talent, skates well, and has lots of upside on the blueline. Look for him to battle for a roster spot at training camp this September.

Maple Leafs Sign Defenseman Beauchemin to Three-Year Deal

The Toronto Maple Leafs remained busy on Monday afternoon by signing defenseman Francois Beauchemin to a three-year contract worth $11.4 million. The deal averages out to $3.8 million per season. In 20 games last season with the Anaheim Ducks, Beauchemin scored four goals and one assist for five points. He missed most of last season with a knee injury he suffered in November. In 246 career games with the Ducks, Montreal Canadiens, and Columbus Blue Jackets, he has 21 goals and 69 assists for 90 points. This is an excellent signing for the Maple Leafs, as Beauchemin is a very physical defenseman with a hard shot. With Beauchemin now under contract and along with Mike Komisarek, Luke Schenn, and Garnet Exelby, the Maple Leafs have one of the most physical bluelines in the league. He previously played under Brian Burke in Anaheim, so it comes as no surprise that Burke pursued a player he is very familiar with. The signing of Beauchemin has led some hockey pundits to speculate that Burke might continue to peddle defenseman Tomas Kaberle to free up salary cap space and bring in a scoring forward. If Kaberle gets traded, the Maple Leafs would lose a lot of offense on their blueline, but still have plenty of talent to keep them competitive defensively.