Avalanche Lock Up Beauchemin on Three-Year Deal

Colorado is making a move that says it wants stability, not a summer spent shopping for answers. A three-year deal for Francois Beauchemin gives the Avalanche a veteran piece they believe can fit into the bigger picture. These are the kinds of contracts that often tell you more about a team's direction than a press release ever will. The term is the story here, because the Avs clearly think this is more than a short-term patch.