NHL players under contract are not eligible to participate in the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics. Beauchemin said he had intended to play one pre-Olympic tournament with Canada in Finland in November, one in Moscow in December, and the post-Christmas tournament, the Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland.
Now he will be playing in what he called "probably" his final NHL season. Beauchemin spent the past two seasons with the Colorado Avalanche, and has 271 points (73 goals, 198 assists) in 836 NHL games for the Ducks, Avalanche, Toronto Maple Leafs, Columbus Blue Jackets and Montreal Canadiens.
"When I became a free agent three years ago, I knew I had three good seasons left in me," Beauchemin said. "I'll be 38 next June and I thought, 'I'm still healthy. I don't want to play until I can't play.'
"I feel good and I'm excited to play this season, and after that it's probably going to be time to move back home."
On June 15, the Avalanche bought out the final season of his three-year, $13.5 million contract (average annual value $4.5 million), making him an unrestricted free agent. Beauchemin had 18 points (three goals, 15 assists) in 81 games, averaging 21:30 of ice time per game, and was minus-14 last season.