After Failed PTO, Pierre-Édouard Bellemare Finds New Team for 2024-25

The 10-year NHL veteran was cut loose from his tryout (PTO) with the Colorado Avalanche early in October, but at age 39, he still had no intention of hanging up the skates. So Pierre-Édouard Bellemare has gone to his backup plan, and landed a contract with HC Ajoie of the Swiss National League.

𝐔𝐧 𝟖𝐞 𝐞́𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐮 𝐇𝐂𝐀 🇫🇷

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare va poser ses valises la semaine prochaine à Porrentruy.
Il apporte avec lui une immense expérience, riche de notamment 785 matchs de NHL. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ww69UhXm6T
— Hockey-Club Ajoie (@HC_Ajoie_off) October 31, 2024

The French native, Bellemare didn't arrive in the NHL until he was 29, after winning some national titles at the beginning of his career playing in France and Sweden, before coming over to North America in 2014.

In his final season in the NHL, 2023-24, Bellemare was limited by the Seattle Kraken to the lowest ice time average in career, at only 9:50. He recorded just seven points in 40 games, amidst a host of healthy scratches.

Overall, the fourth-liner played a full decade in the NHL, recording 138 points in 700 games with a plus/minus rating of +22 in 12:33 average ice time per night. He made it to two Stanley Cup Finals (2018 with the Vegas Golden Knights and 2022 with the Tampa Bay Lightning). He added 15 points in 85 playoff games.

He also played for the Philadelphia Flyers, and a previous stint with the Avalanche.