Beauchemin played 163 games during the previous two seasons with the Avalanche, logging 52 points (13 goals, 39 assists) while providing a veteran presence on Colorado's blue line. He also served as an alternate captain of the squad for the 2016-17 campaign.
Selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the third round (75th overall) of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, the 37-year-old Quebec native spent eight seasons in total with the Anaheim Ducks, where he won a Stanley Cup in 2007, and two years with the Toronto Maple Leafs, in addition to his time with the Avs. He also played part of one season with the Canadiens and a portion of another with the Columbus Blue Jackets as well.
He has 271 points (73 goals, 198 assists) through 836 career NHL contests.