Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
For the past seven years, Francois Beauchemin has been considered one of the best defensemen for the Anaheim Ducks. Beauchemin’s infamous fight against Jarome Iginla and his acrobatic save during Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals are just two of the many moments in his illustrious career in a Ducks sweater, one which saw him often protecting the blue line alongside Ducks great Scott Niedermayer.
So why then, is Beauchemin not an assistant captain for the Ducks? This question is entirely valid, considering Beauchemin’s $3.5 million cap hit last season, and his penchant for playing a gritty brand of hockey, which won him support for the James Norris Memorial Trophy, an award given to the top “defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position.”
Although Beauchemin experienced a decrease in points over the past two seasons, his increasing role for the Ducks as bringing a veteran defenseman presence has shown that there isn’t too tall of a task for Beauchemin, who is certainly worthy of that ‘A’ on his sweater.