Francois Beauchemin 2010-11 Preview

Part of Brian Burke’s first free agency at the helm of the Leafs was to reshape the Leafs defense by ridding the team of players brought in during the John Ferguson regime. Longtime Leafs Bryan McCabe and Carlo Colaiacovo were shipped out by former General Manager Cliff Fletcher. The only remaining defenseman from the famous ‘Muskoka Five’ was Pavel Kubina, who displayed solid two-way instincts with a quality shot from the point. However, Burke opted for a younger and more abrasive player in Mike Komisarek by shipping Kubina to the Atlanta Thrashers.

Along with signing Komisarek, the Leafs inked former Anaheim Duck Francois Beauchemin to a 3-year, $11.4 million contract. Beauchemin won a Stanley Cup with the Ducks in 2006 and played the most minutes among defenseman during the 2007 playoffs. He was originally brought in to the Leafs organization to log big minutes and provide a stable presence from the backend. He is also capable of playing both special teams. A combination of high expectations, a depleted group of forwards and shotty goaltending led to Beauchemin starting off slow in his first season with Toronto.

The Leafs got out of the gate with a 0-7-1 record that boasted the likes of Beauchemin and Tomas Kaberle anchoring the first defensive pairing. Vesa Toskala was the linchpin for criticism and believed to be the reason why the Leafs played so poorly in the early goings of the season. However, Francois Beauchemin appeared to be trying too hard to impress the organization and its fans in his first season. He was often out of position and was affected by his lack of footspeed, which limited him from breaking up one-on-ones. He had a -5 plus/minus over the first four games and finished with a -13 plus/minus total for the season, placing him second worst on the team. It was also his worst plus/minus total of his career.

Despite finishing with 26 points in 82 games, along with 33 penalty minutes, Beauchemin did not play up to par both defensively and offensively last season. He is capable of posting at least 30 points per season while having a plus/minus rating closer to even. One bright spot from last season was his 170 shots on net, which averages to 2.07 shots per game. That number should only increase if he is given more power play time from head coach Ron Wilson this season.

With the addition of Dion Phaneuf and the Leafs decision to retain Tomas Kaberle, expect Beauchemin to play fewer overall minutes, but likely more on special teams. Reducing his minutes throughout the season will keep him rested in the event that the Leafs make the playoffs. Limiting his ice time will let him slide into the role he has played famously throughout his career as a supporting defenseman. There is common belief that last season was only a blip in the radar for a defenseman who is one of the best secondary players in the league. His under-the-radar, smart playing style often goes unnoticed, but a trip back to the playoffs for the Leafs is when Beauchemin can really shine.

2009-10 Statistics
82 games, 5 goals, 21 assists, 26 points, 33 penalty minutes

2010-11 Prediction
82 games, 6 goals, 22 assists, 28 points, 45 penalty minutes

3 Burning Questions

1 – Will Francois Beauchemin rebound in his second season as a Leaf?

2 – Will he benefit from the addition of Dion Phaneuf and decreased workload compared to last season?

3 – Is Beauchemin the odd man out with Kaberle coming back for another season?

Feel free to chime in with your answers or share your predictions in the comments section.