Ed Belfour facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ed Belfour
Hockey Hall of Fame, 2011
Belfour with Leksands IF in 2008
Born	(1965-04-21) April 21, 1965 (age 60) Carman, Manitoba, Canada
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	214 lb (97 kg; 15 st 4 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Caught	Left
Played for	Chicago Blackhawks San Jose Sharks Dallas Stars Toronto Maple Leafs Florida Panthers
National team	Canada
NHL Draft	Undrafted
Playing career	1989–2008
Medal record Men's ice hockey Representing  Canada Olympic Games Gold 2002 Salt Lake City Canada Cup Gold 1991 Canada

Edward John Belfour (born April 21, 1965) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He is often called "Eddie the Eagle" because of the eagle design on his mask. Many people think Belfour was one of the best goalies ever. He won 484 games in the NHL, which is the fifth-highest number of wins for a goalie.

Belfour was chosen for the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2011. He is one of only two players to win an NCAA championship, an Olympic gold medal, and the Stanley Cup. The other player is Neal Broten.

Playing Career Highlights

Early Hockey Days

Belfour played for the Winkler Flyers in junior hockey for three seasons. In 1986, his team finished first. After that, he joined the University of North Dakota for the 1986–87 season.

Even though he was 21, Belfour was a freshman. He won 29 games that year. His team set a new NCAA record with 40 wins and won the National Title. Since he was not picked in the draft, Belfour could sign with any team. He chose the Chicago Blackhawks.

Starting in Professional Hockey

For his first professional season, Belfour played for the Saginaw Hawks in the IHL. He won 32 games and helped his team reach the semifinals. The next season, he played some games in the IHL and some in the NHL with the Blackhawks.

In 1989–90, Belfour played for the Canadian national team. He was called back by the Blackhawks for their playoff games. He played well, helping the team with a 4–2 record.

Time with the Chicago Blackhawks

In the 1990–91 season, Belfour became the main goalie for the Blackhawks. He had a great first full season. He won 43 games in 74 appearances, which was a record for an NHL rookie and for the Blackhawks team. He also had a low GAA of 2.47 and 4 shutouts.

Belfour won several awards that year. He received the Calder Memorial Trophy as the best rookie player. He also won the Vezina Trophy for the best goaltender and the William M. Jennings Trophy for the fewest goals allowed by his team. He was even considered for the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's most valuable player. He won the Vezina and Jennings Trophies again in 1993, and the Jennings Trophy once more in 1995.

Belfour helped the Blackhawks reach the 1992 Stanley Cup Finals in the 1991–92 season. They played against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Penguins won the series, but Belfour showed his skill.

He played 415 games for the Blackhawks, winning 201 of them. He also had 30 shutouts. He is one of the team's top goalies in many records. In January 1997, Belfour was traded to the San Jose Sharks.

Playing for the Dallas Stars

After a short time with the Sharks, Belfour joined the Dallas Stars in July 1997. In his first season with the Stars, he played 61 games and had a very low 1.88 GAA. His team won the Presidents' Trophy for having the best record in the league.

The next season, the Stars again had the best record, and Belfour won his fourth William M. Jennings Trophy. In the playoffs, Belfour helped the Stars win the Stanley Cup in 1999. They beat the Buffalo Sabres in six games. The final game was a thrilling 2–1 win in triple overtime, where Belfour made 53 saves.

The Stars made it to the Stanley Cup Finals again the next year, but they lost to the New Jersey Devils. Belfour had 4 shutouts in those playoffs. After the 2001–02 season, Belfour left the Stars.

Time with the Toronto Maple Leafs

In July 2002, Belfour signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He had a great season, winning a team-record 37 games. He was invited to the All-Star Game but missed it due to an injury. On April 1, he earned his 400th career win. He finished as a runner-up for the Vezina Trophy that year.

In the 2003–04 season, Belfour had 10 shutouts, which was a personal best. He set a record for shutout streaks in a playoff series against the Senators. He did not play during the NHL lockout in 2004–05.

On November 28, 2005, Belfour won his 447th NHL game. This tied him with Terry Sawchuk for second place in career wins at the time. On December 19, 2005, he passed Sawchuk with his 448th win. He left the Maple Leafs in July 2006.

Later Career

Belfour signed with the Florida Panthers in July 2006. On February 13, 2007, he tied Tony Esposito for eighth place on the career shutout list with his 76th shutout. He became the Panthers' starting goalie for a time, playing 27 games in a row.

In August 2007, Belfour decided to play for Leksands IF in Sweden's second division. He played his first game outside North America in 18 years on October 31, 2007. He had a shutout streak of 251 minutes, which was a club record. He also set a record for most shutouts in a season with 7.

The Eagle Mask

Throughout his career, Belfour wore masks with an eagle on them. He said he liked eagles because they are strong and represent leadership and good vision. His eagle mask changed over time, but it always featured his team's colors. On the chin of his mask, there was a logo for the Make-a-Wish Foundation, a charity he cared about. The back of his mask showed a 1941 Willys car and the words "Carman Racing," which is the name of his car shop. His coach, Mike Keenan, nicknamed him "The Eagle" when he first saw his mask.

Playing for Canada

Belfour played for Canada in the 1991 Canada Cup Championship as a backup goalie. He was also part of the team for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. In February 2002, Belfour won an Olympic gold medal with the Canadian men's hockey team. Even though he didn't play in any games, he was an important part of the strong Canadian team.

Life After Hockey

After he stopped playing, Ed Belfour was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame. The Manitoba Junior Hockey League also gives out a special award named after him, the Ed Belfour Top Goaltender Trophy, to its best goalie each season.

Career Statistics

Awards and Honours

See also

• List of NHL goaltenders with 300 wins