Fourth-line center Bellemare finding success in faceoff circle
Avalanche fourth-line center Pierre-edouard Bellemare skates into the faceoff circle with a simple goal of securing the puck before his opponent. Easy enough, right?
Not really.
“It takes technique, but it also takes a lot of experience and studying,” Bellemare said. “It’s the way you place yourself, the way you put your hands, the body language of the opponent, his habits, which referee it is and where they drop the puck; because some drop it in different areas than others.
“There’s way more to it than trying to win a stick battle.”
Extreme attention to detail
earned Bellemare a reputation for faceoff excellence, and the Avs are hoping he shores up a team weakness.
The Avs signed Bellemare on a two-year deal as an unrestricted free agent from the Golden Knights after he posted faceoffwin percentages of 54.7 and 51.2 in each of his past two seasons — marks that would have led all current Avalanche players over the same span.
Lack of consistency winning faceoffs has plagued Colorado through its recent resurgence. Collectively, the Avs ranked No. 26 last season (48.1) and No. 31 the year before (44.2) among all NHL teams.
“His role on our team is something we’ve been lacking the last couple of years,” coach Jared Bednar said. “A sturdy, physical guy who has great defending details that can win draws on the penalty kill. That’s something that we needed in our bottom-six and he takes a lot of pride in that. His leadership skills are another thing we really liked about his recent past.”
Bellemare’s hockey journey has been unconventional. He spent his first seven seasons between French and Swedish professional leagues before making his NHL debut at age 29 for the Flyers. More curious, though, is how he wound up as a faceoff specialist.
Bellemare had a basic understanding of faceoffs throughout his hockey life as a forward, but he didn’t fully embrace the art until he was ready to make the leap to the NHL from the Swedish Elite League.
The craziest part? It started with a mistake.
The hockey stick maker CCM had sent Bellemare the wrong sticks — “They were ridiculously big,” he said — after Bellemare had accidentally left tape wrapped around the blade which was molded for his new sticks. Bellemare’s goalie-esque paddles
weren’t legal for play, although they did spark an idea among teammates and coaches that eventually stuck.
“Everybody said I could be a perfect faceoff guy,” Bellemare said, “and I actually started doing them.”
He made the shift to full-time center several weeks later and has stuck with the position through the entirety of his sixyear NHL career in which he has won 1,800 faceoffs over 388 games entering the Avs’ Saturday night game.
Bellemare scored a goal in consecutive outings against the Wild and Bruins this season but he has been slow to start from the circle, winning 17-of-41 faceoffs (41.5) through three games. When the Avs require a strong-handed lefty to win his matchup at key moments, though, the coaching staff is willing to play Bellemare situationally to keep puck possession.
“In the first two games I’ve had a couple centermen out on the ice (together) on some draws in the D-zone at what I consider important times of the game,” Bednar said. “I don’t like mixing up lines and putting two centermen out there at a time when we have some flexibility. … But it’s something for sure we’re going to protect ourselves with when we need to.”
Bellemare, 34, checks in as the oldest Avalanche player. A few days before making the move to Colorado, his wife, Hannah, gave birth to their second child. The whirlwind of change hasn’t always been easy, but Bellemare’s perspective allows for a levelhead. It’s similar to the clarity he feels each time he skates into the circle.
“It just makes me appreciate it even more,” Bellemare said. “Every change in an organization, when you get older, you don’t know how long you’re going to play hockey. So, you enjoy it and try to make the most of every day.
“Those are only good problems. I can’t complain at all.”