Ed Belfour

Edward John Belfour

• Born: April 21, 1965 in Carman, Manitoba
• Hometown: Carman, Manitoba
• Position: Goal

Belfour was born in Carman, Manitoba and grew up playing hockey. He played junior hockey for the Winkler Flyers before going to the University of North Dakota where he helped the school win the NCAA championship in the 1986–87 season. The following year, Belfour signed as a free agent with the Chicago Blackhawks (after not being picked in the draft) alternating time between them and the Saginaw Hawks of the International Hockey League. Many regard Belfour as an elite goaltender and one of the best of all-time. His 484 wins rank 3rd all-time among NHL goaltenders.

His characteristic face mask earned him the sobriquet "Eddie the Eagle", and some of his quirks and off-ice antics earned him the nickname "Crazy Eddie".

Career in the NHL

NHL beginnings

In the 1989–90 season, Belfour began with the Canadian national men's hockey team, but was recalled by the Blackhawks for their postseason and set a 4-2 postseason mark with a 2.49 GAA. The next season, Belfour became the starting goalie, and turned in what many consider to be one of the best rookie seasons in NHL history. He notched 43 victories in 74 games (both NHL rookie and Blackhawk team records), finished the season with a 2.47 GAA and 4 shutouts. For his success, he received the Calder Memorial Trophy for outstanding play by a rookie, the Vezina Trophy for best goaltender and the William M. Jennings Trophy for fewest team goals-against. He was also nominated for the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's most valuable player, unprecedented at that time for a goaltender and rookie (Brett Hull of the St. Louis Blues won the award). He would win the Vezina Trophy again in 1993 and the Jennings Trophy in 1993, 1995, and 1999.

Belfour helped lead the Blackhawks to the Stanley Cup Finals in the 1991–92 season, where they eventually lost in 4 games to the Pittsburgh Penguins, led by Mario Lemieux.

However, by the 1995–96 season, tension was forming between Belfour and backup goalie Jeff Hackett, very similar to the tension between Belfour and his former backup, Dominik Hašek, which led to Hašek's trade to Buffalo. Also, in the 1993 Norris Division semifinal, Chicago, despite having won the division handily, were swept by the Blues, who won the series on an overtime goal. Belfour, who said he had been interfered with on the goal, would cause thousands of dollars' worth of damage to the visitors' dressing room at the Arena, breaking a coffeemaker, hot tub and television among other objects, leading Belfour demanding a trade, Belfour was traded to Dallas Stars in the off-season.

Belfour finished his tenure with the Blackhawks ranking among the team leaders in many goaltending categories. Belfour finished third among all Blackhawk goalies in games played (415) and wins (201) in both categories ranking behind Hall of Famers Tony Esposito and Glenn Hall. Belfour also ranks fourth in shutouts (30), and second in assists (17). Interestingly, Belfour easily ranks as the Blackhawks' goalie leader in penalty minutes, with 242. Esposito, who played in more than twice as many games and minutes as Belfour, had only 31.

Dallas success

Belfour signed as a free agent with the Dallas Stars on July 2, 1997. During the season, Belfour played 61 games and had an astonishing 1.88 GAA as his team won the Presidents' Trophy and made it to the Western Conference Finals only to lose to the Detroit Red Wings.

The next season, the Stars repeated their regular season championship and Belfour won his fourth Jennings Trophy. In the playoffs, Belfour won his rival Patrick Roy. The Stars won the Stanley Cup, beating the Buffalo Sabres in six games, capped by an incredible goalie duel against former backup Dominik Hašek that ended in a 2-1 win in triple overtime. Belfour made 53 saves to Hašek's 50, and for the entire Finals, had a 1.26 GAA to Hašek's 1.68.

Belfour backstopped his team to another consecutive finals appearance, winning his second seven game Western Conference final duel against the Colorado Avalanche's Patrick Roy. The Stars lost the Cup in double-overtime to the New Jersey Devils. Belfour had 4 shutouts in that playoffs, including a triple-overtime blanking of the Devils in game five of the finals series.

During the 2001–02 season, the Stars began to play poorly and there was a falling out between then-Stars coach, Ken Hitchcock and GM Bob Gainey. Belfour did getting along with backup goaltenders, was not pressured by Marty Turco. He and Turco's remained with Dallas Stars.

Eagle mask

Throughout his career, Belfour has worn masks featuring an eagle on either side of his helmet. When asked why an eagle, he stated "I've always liked the eagle as a bird. It is a strong figure representing individuality, leadership, confidence, and outstanding vision. Its hunting and aggression are characteristics I admire, so when I was thinking of what I wanted on my mask, the eagle was a natural choice". Belfour's eagle has changed dramatically, from a rough Native looking style in Chicago, to a fierce competitive image in Dallas, while the background always features his current team's colours. On the chin, there is an image of the logo for the Make-a-Wish Foundation, a charity very close to his heart, and the back plate highlights his passion for speed and restored cars. The car on the back is a 1941 Willys, along with the words Carman Racing, which is the name of Belfour's car customization and restoration shop in Freeland, Michigan. Upon seeing Belfour's eagle mask for the first time, Mike Keenan, his head coach when he started in the NHL, nicknamed him "The Eagle".

Off the ice

Belfour is an accomplished tri-athlete in his spare time, collects and rebuilds classic cars, and holds a private pilot's licence.

On October 20, 2000, Belfour plead guilty to a misdeamenor charge in which Belfour was subdued by police after a woman he was with became frightened by an intoxicated Belfour in a Metro Dallas hotel room. While under arrest and being transported to the local division, he allegedly offered Dallas police officers one billion dollars for his release without charges. He apologized to the Dallas Stars organization and police officers involved and was charged $3000 for resisting arrest.

Belfour was arrested on April 9, 2007 outside of a South Florida nightclub with Panthers teammate Ville Peltonen and was charged with disorderly intoxication and resisting an officer without violence. He was released the same day from Miami-Dade County jail on $1,500 bond.

International play

Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Competitor for Canada
Olympic Games
Gold	2002 Salt Lake City	Ice hockey
Canada Cup / World Cup
Gold	1991 Canada Cup	Ice hockey

Played for Canada in:

• 1991 Canada Cup Championship (backup goaltender)
• 2002 Olympic Gold Medal (Team Canada)

In February 2002, Belfour won an Olympic gold medal with the Canadian men's hockey team. Although he didn't play in any of the Olympic games in Salt Lake City, he did add depth in goal to the strong Canadian team backing up Curtis Joseph and Martin Brodeur. He did not complain about his backup role, which impressed Team Canada head coach Pat Quinn, who was also the general manager and coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs. On a somewhat humorous note, the gold medal he was given broke off of the strap much to his surprise.

Career Statistics

Regular Season

				Regular Season
Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	T	OTL	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
1983-84	Winkler Flyers	MJHL		na	na	na	na	-	na	na	na	na	na
1984-85	Winkler Flyers	MJHL		na	na	na	na	-	na	na	na	na	na
1985-86	Winkler Flyers	MJHL		na	na	na	na	-	na	na	na	na	na
1986–87	University of North Dakota	NCAA		33	29	4	0	—	2049	81	3	2.43	.915
1987–88	Saginaw Hawks	IHL		61	32	20	5	—	3446	183	0	3.19	—
1988–89	Saginaw Hawks	IHL		29	12	10	6	—	1760	92	0	3.10	—
1988–89	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		23	4	12	3	—	1148	74	0	3.87	.887
1990–91	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		74	43	19	7	—	4127	170	4	2.47	.910
1991–92	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		52	21	18	10	—	2928	132	5	2.70	.894
1992–93	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		71	41	18	11	—	4106	177	7	2.59	.906
1993–94	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		70	37	24	6	—	3998	178	7	2.67	.906
1994–95	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		42	22	15	3	—	2450	93	5	2.28	.906
1995–96	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		50	22	17	10	—	2956	135	1	2.74	.902
1996–97	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		33	11	15	6	—	1966	88	1	2.69	.907
1996–97	San Jose Sharks	NHL		13	3	9	0	—	757	43	1	3.41	.884
1997–98	Dallas Stars	NHL		61	37	12	10	—	3581	112	9	1.88	.916
1998–99	Dallas Stars	NHL		61	35	15	9	—	3536	117	5	1.99	.915
1999–00	Dallas Stars	NHL		62	32	21	7	—	3620	127	4	2.10	.919
2000–01	Dallas Stars	NHL		63	35	20	7	—	3687	144	8	2.34	.905
2001–02	Dallas Stars	NHL		60	21	27	11	—	3467	153	1	2.65	.895
2002–03	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		62	37	20	5	—	3738	141	7	2.26	.922
2003–04	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		59	34	19	6	—	3444	122	10	2.13	.918
2005–06	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		49	22	22	—	4	2897	159	0	3.29	.892
2006–07	Florida Panthers	NHL		58	27	17	—	10	3289	152	1	2.77	.902
2007–08	Leksands IF	Swe-1		20	16	3	1	—	1206	36	6	1.79	.921
NHL totals				963	484	320	125	14	55,696	2,317	76	2.50	.906

Playoffs

				Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
1983-84	Winkler Flyers	MJHL		na	na	na	na	na	na	na	na
1984-85	Winkler Flyers	MJHL		na	na	na	na	na	na	na	na
1985-86	Winkler Flyers	MJHL		na	na	na	na	na	na	na	na
1987–88	Saginaw Hawks	IHL		9	4	5	561	33	0	3.52	—
1988–89	Saginaw Hawks	IHL		5	2	3	298	14	0	2.81	—
1989–90	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		9	4	2	409	17	0	2.49	—
1990–91	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		6	2	4	295	20	0	4.06	.901
1991–92	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		18	12	4	949	39	1	2.46	.911
1992–93	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		4	0	4	249	13	0	3.13	.882
1993–94	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		6	2	4	360	15	0	2.50	.927
1994–95	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		16	9	7	1014	37	1	2.18	.928
1995–96	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		9	6	3	666	23	1	2.07	.934
1997–98	Dallas Stars	NHL		17	10	7	1039	31	1	1.79	.928
1998–99	Dallas Stars	NHL		23	16	7	1544	43	3	1.67	.935
1999–00	Dallas Stars	NHL		23	14	9	1443	45	4	1.87	.931
2000–01	Dallas Stars	NHL		10	4	6	671	25	0	2.23	.910
2002–03	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		7	3	4	532	24	0	2.70	.915
2003–04	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		13	6	7	774	27	3	2.09	.929
2007–08	Leksands IF	Swe-1		9	4	5	510	22	1	2.59	.911
NHL totals				161	88	68	9945	359	14	2.17	.920

Awards & Achievements

• Terry Sawchuk Memorial Trophy MJHL Top Goaltender (1985 & 1986)
• MJHL All-Star Team (1985 & 1986)
• NHL William M. Jennings Trophy (1991, 1993, 1995, 1999)
• NHL Calder Memorial Trophy (1991)
• NHL Vezina Trophy (1991, 1993)
• NHL All-Rookie Team (1991)
• Manitoba's Male Athlete of the Year for 1991
• NHL First All-Star Team (1992, 1993)
• NHL All-Star Game (1992, 1993, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2003 [injured])
• NHL Second All-Star Team (1995)
• Stanley Cup champion (1999)
• “Honoured Member” of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame
• University of North Dakota Hockey Hall of Fame
• Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame

Trivia

• Belfour played against the Panthers in their first game ever on October 6, 1993. He went on to play with the Panthers in their 1000th game on January 16, 2007. Belfour also tied Terry Sawchuk's 447 career wins with a 2-1 win against Florida.
• On October 5, 2005, the 2005–06 season opener, Belfour and Ottawa's Dominik Hašek were the goaltenders in the National Hockey League's first shootout under the new overtime rules. When the Senators and Leafs were tied after a five-minute overtime, Belfour allowed a goal to captain Daniel Alfredsson before stopping Martin Havlat. Unfortunately for Belfour, Dany Heatley won the contest on the third shot of the shootout, two to none in a best of three.
• Early in his career, Belfour wore jersey number 30. After leaving the Blackhawks, Belfour would wear number 20 for the rest of his playing career and Stars, Belfour's first goaltending coach in the National Hockey League.

External links

• Ed Belfour's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database
• Ed Belfour's biography at Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame