Trust is an earned commodity for NHL defensemen that shows up in how much time they spend on the ice, and Beauchemin's years of playing big minutes speak volumes about how coaches have felt about his play.

The Sorel, Quebec, native consistently delivers a solid, all-around game, with his 6-foot-1, 208-pound frame blocking shots as he provides a stand-up defensive presence to go along with a big shot from the point.

A Quebec Major Junior Hockey League all-rookie team member in 1996-97 and second-team QMJHL All-Star in 1999-2000, Beauchemin was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the third round (No. 75) of the 1998 NHL Draft.

After he made a one-game cameo with the Canadiens on Feb. 27, 2003, and played 11 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets at the start of the 2005-06 season, a Nov. 15, 2005 trade to the Anaheim Ducks finally gave Beauchemin an NHL home.

He immediately stepped in as a leader on Anaheim's defense, trailing only future Hall of Famer Scott Niedermayer in ice time. Beauchemin finished with eight goals and 34 points and had nine points in 16 Stanley Cup Playoff games as Anaheim reached the Western Conference Final.

Even with Hall of Fame-bound defenseman Chris Pronger added to the mix for the 2006-07 season, Beauchemin averaged 25:28 of ice time per game in the regular season. That increased to a club-high 30:33 in the 2007 playoffs as Beauchemin helped the Ducks win the Stanley Cup for the first time. He scored four postseason goals, including a power-play goal in Anaheim's title-clinching Game 5 win against the Ottawa Senators.

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed Beauchemin as a free agent before the 2009-10 season, but he was traded back to Anaheim on Feb. 9, 2011. In the 2014-15 season, Beauchemin moved past Niedermayer to become the top-scoring defenseman in Anaheim playoff history.

A free agent that offseason, Beauchemin signed a three-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche.