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Avalanche to buy out Beauchemin

Colorado Avalanche v Calgary Flames

CALGARY, AB - MARCH 27: Micheal Ferland #79 of the Calgary Flames skates with the puck against Francois Beauchemin #32 of the Colorado Avalanche during an NHL game at Scotiabank Saddledome on March 27, 2017 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images)

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The Colorado Avalanche will buy out the final year of Francois Beauchemin’s contract.

The Avs will still be stuck with a $4.5 million cap hit for the 37-year-old defenseman, but they’ll save $1.5 million in actual dollars.

Beauchemin also had a no-movement clause, so the Avs will no longer be obligated to protect him in the expansion draft. That leaves them free to protect Erik Johnson, Tyson Barrie, and Nikita Zadorov, plus seven forwards. (Or, they could protect another defenseman -- perhaps Mark Barberio, or even one they add in a trade -- then only protect four forwards.)

Beauchemin played 81 games for the Avs last season, averaging 21:31 of ice time. He had five goals and 13 assists.