Pierre-Édouard Bellemare (born 6 March 1985) is a French professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
forward
Forward is a relative direction, the opposite of backward.
Forward may also refer to:
People
*Forward (surname)
Sports
* Forward (association football)
* Forward (basketball), including:
** Point forward
** Power forward (basketball)
** Smal ...
who is currently playing with
HC Ajoie
HC Ajoie is a Swiss professional ice hockey team that competes in the National League (NL), the highest league in Switzerland. The team was founded in 1973 and plays in the Raiffeisen Arena in Porrentruy, Switzerland.
HC Ajoie has won three Swis ...
of the
National League
National League often refers to:
*National League (baseball), one of the two baseball leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada
*National League (division), the fifth division of the English football (soccer) system ...
(NL). He has previously played in the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
(NHL) for the
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team play ...
,
Vegas Golden Knights
The Vegas Golden Knights are a professional ice hockey team based in the Las Vegas Valley, Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Golden Knights compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division ...
,
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. The Avalanche compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Con ...
,
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. The Lightning compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the ...
and
Seattle Kraken
The Seattle Kraken are a professional ice hockey team based in Seattle. The Kraken compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The t ...
.
Playing career
Europe
Bellemare made France's top professional league, the
Ligue Magnus
The Ligue Magnus, currently known as Synerglace Ligue Magnus for sponsorship reasons, is the top men's division of the French ice hockey pyramid, established in 1906. The league operated under a variety of names before taking that of its champio ...
in 2002 as a 17-year-old, playing with
Dragons de Rouen
The Dragons de Rouen (Rouen Dragons), are a French professional ice hockey team based in Rouen playing in the Ligue Magnus.
The team was founded in 1982 and plays home games at the Île Lacroix.
History
Only 3 years after its founding, the cl ...
. Showing early offensive promise, Bellemare was among Rouen's top scorers in each of his three full seasons with the club. Bellemare played in the Magnus until he was 20, before accepting an offer to play for
Leksands IF
Leksands Idrottsförening is a Swedish professional ice hockey team from the town of Leksand in the region of Dalarna. The team plays in the top-tier league, Swedish Hockey League (SHL), after succeeding through the 2019 SHL qualifiers and thus ...
, in Sweden's second tier league,
HockeyAllsvenskan
HockeyAllsvenskan (previously Allsvenskan and SuperAllsvenskan) is a professional ice hockey sports league, league, and the second-highest league in the Swedish ice hockey system, after the Swedish Hockey League, SHL. Since the 2009–10 season, t ...
, in order to continue his development in stronger competition.
Bellemare established himself in the Allsvenskan, learning to play a responsible two-way game while improving his points totals in each of his three seasons with Leksands. In the
2008–09 season, Bellemare led the league with 31 goals however was unable to help Leksands gain promotion to the top tiered
SHL (SEL).
On 21 April 2009, Bellemare left the Allsvenskan, agreeing to a contract with
Skellefteå AIK
Skellefteå AIK is a Swedish professional ice hockey club from Skellefteå. They currently play In the Swedish Hockey League. They play their home games in Skellefteå Kraft Arena, which seats 6,001 spectators. The team has won the Swedish Ch ...
of the SEL for the
2009–10 season. Establishing a role as a two-way centre with Skellefteå, Bellemare produced 9 goals and 14 points in 49 games in his rookie season. As Skellefteå AIK's third-line centre in the
2010–11
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number, numeral, and glyph. It is the first and smallest positive integer of the infinite sequence of natural numbers. This fundamental property has led to its unique uses in other fields, ranging from science to sp ...
season, Bellemare agreed to a two-year contract extension on 22 December 2010.
From 2011 to 2014, Bellemare served as an
alternate captain
In ice hockey, the captain is the player designated by a team as the only person authorized to speak with the game officials regarding rule interpretations when the captain is on the ice. At most levels of play each team must designate one captai ...
with Skellefteå, where he won the
Swedish Championship back-to-back in
2013
2013 was the first year since 1987 to contain four unique digits (a span of 26 years).
2013 was designated as:
*International Year of Water Cooperation
*International Year of Quinoa
Events
January
* January 5 – 2013 Craig, Alask ...
and
2014
The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...
.
Philadelphia Flyers
Having recorded 125 points in 238 career regular season games, Bellemare left the SHL after 5 seasons. Opting to pursue a career in the NHL, Bellemare signed his first North American contract as a 29-year old free agent with the
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team play ...
, agreeing to a one-year, two-way contract on 11 June 2014.
After attending the Flyers' 2014 training camp, Bellemare made the opening night roster to begin the
2014–15 season. He made his NHL debut in a fourth-line centre role, against the
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The t ...
on 8 October 2014. He scored his first NHL goal on 22 October, in a victory against the
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. The Penguins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), E ...
. Later in his rookie season (although not technically a rookie due to his age), Bellemare's experience and dependable defensive play was rewarded when he signed a two-year contract extension with the club on 2 March 2015. He appeared in 81 regular season games with the Flyers, missing just one game, posting 6 goals and 12 points.
Reprising his fourth-line centre role in his second season with the Flyers in
2015–16, Bellemare established a new career-best with 7 goals and 14 points in 74 games. He made his playoff debut with the Flyers in the opening game of the first-round against the
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The Capitals compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NH ...
on 14 April 2016. Bellemare was suspended for one game on 19 April 2016, for an illegal check to
Dmitry Orlov during game 3. He returned in Game 5, recording his first playoff point, an assist, as the Flyers shutout the Capitals 2-0 on 22 April 2016. He ended with 1 point through 5 games as the Flyers were defeated 4 games to 2 by the Capitals.
In the
2016–17 season, Bellemare appeared in every regular season game for the Flyers. He was named an alternate captain on 2 March 2017, a day after signing an additional two-year contract extension with the Flyers. He finished his third NHL season posting 4 goals and 8 points, unable to help the Flyers return to the playoffs.
Vegas Golden Knights
On 21 June 2017, having been unprotected by the Flyers at the
2017 NHL Expansion Draft
The 2017 NHL expansion draft was an expansion draft conducted by the National Hockey League on June 18–20, 2017 to fill the roster of the league's expansion team for the 2017–18 season, the Vegas Golden Knights. The team's selections were an ...
, Bellemare was selected by the
Vegas Golden Knights
The Vegas Golden Knights are a professional ice hockey team based in the Las Vegas Valley, Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Golden Knights compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division ...
. He made his Golden Knights debut in the club's first regular season game, in a 2-1 victory over the
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. The Stars compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The Stars ...
on 7 October 2017. In the
2017–18 season, he registered his first point with the Golden Knights during their home opener, registering an assist in a 5–2 victory over the
Arizona Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes are an inactive professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. They competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division (1996–1998, 2021–2024) and ...
at
T-Mobile Arena
T-Mobile Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Paradise, Nevada, United States. Opened on April 6, 2016, it is the home arena of the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). A joint venture between MGM Resorts International ...
on 10 October 2017. Continuing his role as the club's primary fourth-line centre he was later placed on injured reserve on 19 February 2018 after being injured in a game against the
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens (), officially ' ( Canadian Hockey Club) and colloquially known as the Habs, are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. The Canadiens compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic D ...
. He returned on 6 March for a game against the
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. The Blue Jackets compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern C ...
. He led all Knights forwards with 63 blocked shots and finished with a career-high 10 assists and 16 points in 72 contests. He helped Vegas reach the
2018 Stanley Cup Finals
The 2018 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 2017–18 season and the culmination of the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Eastern Conference champion Washington Capitals defeated the Western Co ...
in their inaugural season, posting 3 assists in 20 playoff contests before losing to the Washington Capitals in 5 games.
In the following
2018–19 season, Bellemare was named as an alternate captain with the Golden Knights, and tallied 6 goals and 15 points in 76 games. He led the Golden Knights forwards in shorthanded time-on-ice and appeared 6 post-season games, missing the deciding Game 7 defeat to the
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. The Sharks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Con ...
due to injury. He was initially injured in Game 1 after he was the recipient of a cross-check to the face by Sharks forward
Evander Kane
Evander Frank Kane (born August 2, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey Winger (ice hockey), winger for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the Atlanta Thrashers, Winnipeg Jets, Buffalo Sabres, and San ...
. Kane was given a major penalty for cross-checking and a game misconduct, and was suspended one game.
Colorado Avalanche
Bellemare left the Golden Knights after their two first seasons, signing as a free agent a two-year, $3.6 million deal with the
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. The Avalanche compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Con ...
on 1 July 2019. Acquired to assume the role as the Avalanche's fourth-line centre, Bellemare made his debut with the Avalanche in the opening game of the season against the
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The ...
on 3 October 2019. Bellemare contributed early offensively, notching a career best 3 points against former club the Golden Knights in his first return to
T-Mobile Arena
T-Mobile Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Paradise, Nevada, United States. Opened on April 6, 2016, it is the home arena of the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). A joint venture between MGM Resorts International ...
in a 6-1 victory on 25 October, while also recorded a career high 7 points through the month of October. Even with the season ending early because of
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
, Bellemare set an NHL career high in goals with 9 and points with 22 during the 2019–20 season. He scored his first playoff goal in the Avs 6–4 win over the
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. The Stars compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The Stars ...
in Game 3 of the Conference Semi-finals. Unable to help propel the Avalanche past the Stars in Game 7, Bellemare finished with 2 goals and 3 points through 15 post-season games.
Returning for the second year of his contract with the Avalanche in the pandemic delayed season, Bellemare resumed his role on the fourth-line and was relied upon for his faceoff prowess in winning 60% of his draws. He appeared in his 500th NHL game on 1 May 2021, against the
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. The Sharks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Con ...
, becoming just the second French trained player behind
Antoine Roussel to achieve the feat. Matching his previous season high of 9 goals, Bellemare featured in 53 of the 56 regular season games for the
Presidents' Trophy
The Presidents' Trophy () is an award presented by the National Hockey League (NHL) to the team that finishes with the most points (i.e., best overall record) during the regular season. If two teams are tied for the most points, then the Trophy ...
winning Avalanche. He registered 3 assists through 10 playoff contests with the Avalanche, unable to help the team advance past the second-round in a series defeat to the Vegas Golden Knights.
Tampa Bay Lightning
On 28 July 2021, Bellemare signed a two-year, $2 million contract with the
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. The Lightning compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the ...
. Bellemare skated in 80 games for the Lightning during the
2021–22 season, recording nine goals and 11 assists for 20 points. The team reached the
2022 Stanley Cup Finals
The 2022 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 2021–22 season and the culmination of the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs. The series was between the Eastern Conference and two-time defending Stanley ...
, losing in six games to Bellemare's former team, the Avalanche.
Seattle Kraken
On 7 July 2023, Bellemare signed as a free agent to a one-year, $775,000 contract with the
Seattle Kraken
The Seattle Kraken are a professional ice hockey team based in Seattle. The Kraken compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The t ...
. In signing with the Kraken he was reunited with
Dave Hakstol, his former head coach from his tenure with the Flyers. In the season, Bellemare was primarily deployed in the fourth-line role, and posted 4 goals and 7 points in a career season low of 40 regular season games.
Return to Colorado
As a free agent from the Kraken, Bellemare went un-signed over the summer. Approaching the season, Bellemare accepted an invitation to return to the Colorado Avalanche organization agreeing to attend training camp on a
professional tryout on 11 September 2024. In participating in camp and pre-season in competition for the fourth-line centre role, Bellemare despite adding veteran leadership was surprisingly released from his tryout with the Avalanche on 3 October 2024.
HC Ajoie
With his NHL prospects concluded, Bellemare returned to Europe in securing a one-year contract for the remainder of the season with Swiss club, HC Ajoie of the NL, on 31 October 2024.
International play
Bellemare participated at the
2010 IIHF World Championship
The 2010 IIHF World Championship was the 74th IIHF World Championship, an annual international ice hockey tournament. It took place between 7 and 23 May 2010 in Germany. The games were played in the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, SAP Arena in Mannh ...
as a member of the
French national team. He was also named to the French roster for competition at the
2014 IIHF World Championship
The 2014 IIHF World Championship was hosted by Belarus in its capital, Minsk, held from 9 to 25 May 2014. Sixteen national teams were competing in two venues, the Minsk-Arena and Chizhovka-Arena. It was the first time Belarus hosted the tourname ...
.
In the nation's opening group game on 9 May 2014, Bellemare scored the game-winning shootout goal to give France a 3–2 victory over
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
, France's second-ever victory over the Canadians in 83 years.
In the
2016 World Cup of Hockey
The 2016 World Cup of Hockey (abbreviated WCH2016) was an international ice hockey tournament. It was the third installment of the National Hockey League (NHL)-sanctioned competition, 12 years after the second World Cup of Hockey in 2004. It was ...
, Bellemare played for
Team Europe, being the only player to represent France in the tournament. Team Europe finished runner-up, having lost to Canada 3-1 and 2-1 in the championship match.
In the
2017 IIHF World Championship
The 2017 IIHF World Championship, the 2017 edition of the annual Ice Hockey World Championships, was held from 5 to 21 May 2017 in Cologne, Germany and Paris, France. The official tournament mascots were Asterix (character), Asterix and Obelix, ...
, Bellemare was set to receive the Player of the Game award, scoring a goal and an assist in France's 5–1 win over Finland. In an act of selflessness and respect, he waived acceptance of the award, urging it deserved to go to the French Team goalie,
Florian Hardy, who had 42 saves.
On August 27, 2024, Pierre was named Captain of the French Olympic qualifying team attempting to participate in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy.
Personal life
Bellemare was born in a suburb of Paris, the third of five children. His father was born in
Martinique
Martinique ( ; or ; Kalinago language, Kalinago: or ) is an island in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the eastern Caribbean Sea. It was previously known as Iguanacaera which translates to iguana island in Carib language, Kariʼn ...
, an island in the Caribbean. He learned to skate and play hockey at age 6 when his 13-year-old sister, Aurore-Annick, wanted to play hockey and he and his brother tagged along.
Another sister,
Rose-Eliandre Bellemare, is an
artistic gymnast
Artistic gymnastics is a discipline of gymnastics in which athletes perform short routines on different types of apparatus. The sport is governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG), which assigns the '' Code of Points'' used ...
who participated in the
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and officially branded as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes fro ...
in
Beijing
Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...
. Bellemare was in his first year of chiropractor school when he accepted an offer to play in Sweden at age 20.
He is fluent in
Swedish, French and English.
Bellemare and his wife have two children.
They reside in Sweden in the off-season.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
International
Awards and honours
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bellemare, Pierre-Edouard
1985 births
Living people
HC Ajoie players
Black French sportspeople
Black ice hockey players
Colorado Avalanche players
Dragons de Rouen players
French ice hockey left wingers
French people of Martiniquais descent
Leksands IF players
Sportspeople from Le Blanc-Mesnil
Philadelphia Flyers players
Seattle Kraken players
Skellefteå AIK players
Tampa Bay Lightning players
Undrafted National Hockey League players
Vegas Golden Knights players
21st-century French sportsmen