Anaheim Ducks defenseman Francois Beauchemin was awoken midway through his pregame nap Monday by his wife, Marie Claude. It must have been serious. And it was.
Pregame naps are as important to an NHL player as pregame warm-ups, but Marie Claude had reason to disturb her husband: Law enforcement officials were demanding the family evacuate their Anaheim-area home because of the Southern California wildfires. The smoke storm was quickly approaching.
Beauchemin, the former Avalanche defenseman surprisingly bought out by the club in June, had a lot on his plate at the time. He had a game that night at the Honda Center against the Calgary Flames.