Aarif Deen
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare didn’t take long to find work at the conclusion of his playing career. The Tampa Bay Lightning announced on Thursday that Bellemare is joining the franchise in a player development specialist role.
Bellemare, 41, played 700 career NHL games, of which 237 were with the Philadelphia Flyers after they signed him as a 29-year-old undrafted free agent in 2015. He also played 153 games with the Lightning, 148 with the Vegas Golden Knights, 40 with the Seattle Kraken, and, of course, 122 with the Colorado Avalanche.
His two in Colorado were the best of his career, recording 18 total goals in those games, which was more than he had with any other team.
Bellemare announced his retirement following the 2026 Winter Olympics, where he captained Team France. It became official earlier in the offseason. Bellemare is likely going to reside in Tampa and be a large part of the new quicker training camp for NHL clubs.