BELLEMARE FACES BATTLE FOR NHL ROSTER SPOT
The Philadelphia Flyers did not sign 29-year-old European veteran Pierre-Edouard Bellemare with the intention of developing him into a prospect for the NHL. Signed to a one-year, two way contract on July 11, Bellemare will take his shot at the NHL roster out of training camp and either sink or swim in his attempt to forge a late-blooming career in the NHL.
According to Capgeek.com, Bellemare's contract pays $600,000 at the NHL level and $100,000 if he plays in the AHL with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. He received a $25,000 signing bonus on the one-year contract.
Currently, the Flyers have 10 forwards who are either locks for opening-night roster spots or are at least likely to be on the NHL roster barring injury or trade: Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek, Wayne Simmonds, Brayden Schenn, Sean Couturier, Matt Read, Vincent Lecavalier (still a trade candidate if the Flyers find a trade fit with a team for whom Lecavalier is willing to waive his no-movement clause), R.J. Umberger, Michael Raffl, and Zac Rinaldo.
From there, things get a little more convoluted. Bellemare will compete for an NHL roster spot with rookies Jason Akeson and Scott Laughton, as well as NHL/AHL veterans such as Blair Jones and Chris VandeVelde. If the Flyers carry an enforcer this season as their 13th forward, incumbent Jay Rosehill will make the team (Zack Stortini, who has been in the AHL for the last three seasons, is longshot competition).
Come training camp in September, Bellemare could see duty in a variety of different spots during the preseason. His positional versatility in playing either wing or center and his ability to adapt to a checking oriented role as well as scoring line duties work in his favor. As with all players coming over from Europe, especially older veterans, Bellemare will have to adapt quickly to the smaller rink and the faster pace of NHL play. He has both good wheels and a good work ethic, so he has a fighting chance.
In a recent
interview with Tendance Ouest Rouen, Bellemare said that he nearly signed an NHL contract two years ago with the Chicago Blackhawks but injury issues scuttled the potential opportunity. Now, the French forward said his only objective is to earn an NHL job with the Flyers.
Bellemare is coming off a tremendous season for repeat Swedish champion Skellefteå AIK, for whom he notched 20 goals (8th in the SHL) and 35 points (20th) in the regular season. He was even better in the playoffs, scoring numerous clutch goals en route to racking up nine goals (second only to teammate Jimmie Ericsson) and 14 points (fifth) in 14 matches.
SAIK went 12-2 in a dominant postseason run, and Bellemare was a big reason why. Apart from the points he posted, the alternate captain was a tone-setter both on the forcheck and backcheck. He also displayed a knack for scoring goals at critical times, include a late third period power play in the championship clinching game that gave SAIK some breathing room against Färjestad.
Throughout the 2013-14 season, SAIK coach Hans Wallson was able to use Bellemare in a variety of different game situations and play him both at center and left wing as needed. He showed an ability to play effectively with an array of different linemates, but especially thrived in the championship finals with George "Bud" Holloway and Viktor Arvidsson.
Bellemare followed his outstanding SHL season with an equally outstanding IIHF World Championship tournament for Team France. He notched three goals and eight points in as many games for a French team that was the tourney's most pleasant surprise, reaching the medal round quarterfinals and authoring a preliminary round upset over Canada. Bellemare scored the game-winning goal in the shootout against the Canadians. Earlier in the game, Bellemare set up the first of two goals by Stephane DaCosta.
Last year, France also notched a monumental World Championship upset when it toppled Russia in regulation by a 2-1 score. Bellemare also played an important goal in that win, setting up a Damien Fleury goal that tied the score midway through the game.
At 6-feet tall and about 195 pounds, Bellemare is an average-sized player. However, he has above-average speed, plays a responsible two-way game and plays with considerable heart. He is a hard worker who can contribute even when not playing in a scoring role, but he also has underrated hands (which he displayed both in Allsvenskan, where he once scored 31 goals in 41 games for Leksand, and at the SHL level).
Bellemare is a classic late-bloomer, who remained in Ligue Magnus in his native France until he was 20 years and then did not play in the SHL (formerly Elitserien) until he was 24. He was probably good enough to get a shot in North America a few years ago when Chicago had interest. Unfortunately for Bellemare, a concussion and a facial fracture suffered as a result of a head shot on an open ice hit away from the puck by Brynäs' Robin Jacobsson in the 2012-13 season limited him to 29 regular season games.
Now the Flyers are hoping that Bellemare's belated arrival in North America works to their benefit. Although a "rookie" in North America, they are getting an experienced international player who has not looked out of place competing with and against current and former NHL players both in Sweden and in IIHF tournaments.
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SUNDAY QUICK HITS
* Andre "Moose" Dupont celebrates his 65th birthday today. Acquired from the St. Louis Blues midway through the 1972-73 season, Dupont went on to play 536 regular season games and 108 playoff matches with the Flyers. He was a member of both Stanley Cup winning teams in franchise history and went to the Finals four times in all during his Philadelphia career.
Moose may not have been the fleetest of skaters or the most disciplined of players, but he gave his all in every game and every shift. Dupont played on emotion and was a frequent fighter and punishing body checker. He topped the 200 penalty minute mark four times and topped 160 penalty minutes six times.
Dupont also provided occasional offense, topping 30 points twice. His exuberant leg-pumping, arm-rolling goal celebrations (he had seasons of 10 and 11 goals among the 42 regular season goals plus 13 playoff tallies he scored in orange and black) came to be known as "the Moose Shuffle."
Dupont earned a spot in the NHL All-Star Game in 1975-76. The following year, he became the winner of the team's best defenseman award named in honor of former teammate and assistant coach Barry Ashbee. In Sept. 1980, after being given a contract extension as a "thank you" from general manager for his years of service to the team, Dupont was traded to the Quebec Nordiques. He finished out his NHL career with three seasons in Quebec.
After his playing days, Dupont served for a time (1991 to 1995) as a scout for the Ottawa Senators. He then became a full-time NHL player agent, based out of Trois Rivieres, Que.
It has been said that the reason why the Flyers drafted Bruno St. Jacques in the ninth round of the 1998 Draft was that general manager Bob Clarke did a favor for his former teammate Dupont. Supposedly, Dupont walked over to the railing and hollered over to Clarke to get his attention, telling him to choose his client with the 253rd pick (there were 258 picks made in all in the nine-round Draft).
Any time a player drafted that late so much as appears in an NHL game, it's a bonus. An effective player for the AHL's Philadelphia Phantoms, defenseman St. Jacques briefly played parts of two seasons for the Flyers at the NHL level before being traded to Carolina in the deal that brought Sami Kapanen. In all, St. Jacques dressed in 67 NHL games with the Flyers, Hurricanes and Anaheim Mighty Ducks.
* Also celebrating a birthday in July 27 is alumnus defenseman Bob Hoffmeyer, who turns 59 years old. Signed as a free agent by the Flyers in 1981, the former Chicago Blackhawks dressed in 57 games for Pat Quinn's team in 1981-82. That season, he chipped in seven goals, 27 points and 142 penalty minutes while posting a plus-13 rating at even strength.
Left unprotected in the annual waiver draft, Hoffmeyer was claimed by Edmonton. Eighteen days later, the Flyers traded the rights to prospect Peter Dineen (son of Bill, older brother of Kevin) to the Oilers to re-acquire Hoffmeyer. The defenseman went on to dress in 35 games for the Flyers in 1982-83, contributing 13 points and 40 penalty minutes.
Hoffmeyer also later played in the NHL for the New Jersey Devils. After his playing days, he served as an assistant coach for New Jersey under Jim Schoenfeld and then has served as a pro scout for the Devils for the last 20 years.
* Today in Flyers history: On July 27, 1973, the Flyers traded veteran goaltender Doug Favell to the Toronto Maple Leafs to complete the May 15 trade that sent the rights to holdout goaltender Bernie Parent and a 1973 second-round pick (Larry Goodenough) to Philadelphia in exchange for a 1973 first-round pick (Bob Neely) and a player to be named later.
Favell had been Parent's teammate for many years. They had shared the net in junior hockey with the Niagara Falls Flyers, in the Boston Bruins' organization with the minor-league Oklahoma City Blazers and then in the NHL with Philadelphia for the first three-plus seasons of the Flyers' existence.
While Favell was generally a well-liked player and had his own measure of success, Parent was usually considered the more technically sound netminder. Favell was more of a guesser and tended to run hot and cold. However, it was not until after Parent received mentoring from Jacques Plante in Toronto and eventually returned to the Flyers that he blossomed into the Hall of Fame goaltender who backstopped Philly to the 1974 and 1975 Stanley Cup championships and won the Conn Smythe and Vezina Trophies both seasons.
Favell spent two-plus roller coaster seasons with Toronto and then finished out his NHL career with the woeful Colorado Rockies. In 1978-79, he returned to Philly at the AHL level with the Philadelphia Firebirds (who had become the Rockies' farm team).
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