Colorado Avalanche fans got to see a familiar face at the 2026 Winter Olympics. With so many current Avs players hitting the ice, it was nice to see a former team member return to the big stage.

We’re talking about Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, who is suiting up for Team France in Milano-Cortina.

Bellemare is a native of Le Blanc-Mesnil in France. And he’s one of the few French-born players who’ve cracked the NHL over the years.

Bellemare suited up in France’s 4-0 loss to Switzerland on Thursday. At 40, Bellemare continues to play hockey in Europe. He’s currently playing for the HC Ajoie of the Swiss League. This season, Bellemare racked up one goal and 10 points in 32 games.

Well, Avalanche fans will recall Bellemare wasn’t exactly known for his offense. In 122 games with Colorado, he racked up 18 goals and 33 points. Those numbers weren’t bad for a guy playing bottom-six minutes. On France’s national team, however, Bellemare had a more prominent role. He hit the ice for 14:59 across 25 shifts. While the French side was unable to generate much offense, the showing was a strong one for a nation not really known for its hockey tradition.

Bellemare last suited up for the Avalanche last season during training camp. He joined the club on a PTO, but was later released from it. That’s when he returned to Europe to continue his career. But who knows if this will be the last we’ll see of Bellemare.

Olympics could offer former Avalanche another kick at the NHL can

The Olympics often provide former NHLers one more kick at the NHL can. Players that saw their time in the NHL run out, can sometimes parlay a strong showing into another shot at the NHL.

That may not be the case for Bellemare. But then again, would a team looking for a gritty bottom-six forward on a league-minimum deal consider Bellemare?

Perhaps a team looking for a heart and soul guy could look at Bellemare with fond eyes. The likelihood of that happening is slim, unfortunately. The 40-year-old last played in the NHL during the 2023-24 season for the Seattle Kraken. He suited up for 40 games that season, scoring four goals and seven points. The grizzled veteran ended his NHL tenure with 700 games played. That’s not bad for an undrafted guy.