Marty Turco facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marty Turco
Turco with the Dallas Stars in February 2009
Born	(1975-08-13) August 13, 1975 (age 49) Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	184 lb (83 kg; 13 st 2 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Caught	Left
Played for	Dallas Stars Chicago Blackhawks Boston Bruins
National team	Canada
NHL Draft	124th overall, 1994 Dallas Stars
Playing career	1998–2012
Medal record Representing  Canada World Championships Silver 2005 Austria

Marty Vincent Turco is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He was born on August 13, 1975. Marty played for 11 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He spent nine of those seasons with the Dallas Stars. He also played one season each for the Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins.

Marty Turco was known for being very good at handling the puck. Because of this, hockey expert Don Cherry called him "the smartest goalie in the NHL." After his playing career, Turco became an analyst for NHL Network. He shares his hockey knowledge on TV.

Marty Turco's Hockey Journey

Starting Out in Hockey

Marty Turco began playing minor hockey in his hometown. Even though he was not drafted by the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), he signed with the Cambridge Winterhawks Jr. B. team when he was 17. He played two seasons there.

After that, he earned a scholarship to play college hockey for the University of Michigan. While playing for Michigan, Turco helped his team win two NCAA championships.

Drafted by the Dallas Stars

The Dallas Stars picked Turco in the fifth round of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft. This happened in 1994. He continued to play for Michigan after being drafted. During his four years at Michigan, Turco won many awards. He was named Rookie of the Year in 1995. He also became the Tournament MVP in 1998.

After college, Turco played for the Kalamazoo Wings. This team was connected to the Dallas Stars. In 1999, he was named the IHL Rookie of the Year.

Playing for the Dallas Stars (2000–2010)

After two years with the K-Wings, Turco joined the Dallas Stars. He started as a backup goalie to Ed Belfour. He spent two years learning and gaining experience. After the 2001–02 season, the Stars made Turco their main starting goalie. This allowed Belfour to move to another team.

In his first year as a starter, the 2002–03 season, Turco set an NHL record. His goals against average (GAA) was 1.72. This means he let in very few goals per game. He played in the NHL All-Star Game that season. He was also named to the second All-Star team. His .932 save percentage was the best in the NHL. However, the Stars did not win the playoffs that year.

Turco continued to play well in the 2003–04 season. He played in the All-Star Game again. The Stars lost in the first round of the playoffs.

In the 2005–06 season, Turco won a career-high 41 games. Eight of these wins came in shootouts. The Stars again lost in the playoffs that year.

On April 13, 2007, Turco got his first ever playoff shutout. This happened against the Vancouver Canucks. A shutout means the goalie stops every shot and the other team scores no goals. He helped the Stars tie the series.

Marty Turco recorded three shutouts in that playoff series. This set a record for the most shutouts in a single playoff series. Other goalies have since tied this record. The Stars eventually lost that series to the Canucks.

In the 2007–08 season, Turco won 32 games. He helped the Stars win two playoff series. They beat the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Anaheim Ducks. They also beat the San Jose Sharks. However, they lost to the Detroit Red Wings in the next round.

On January 15, 2009, Turco played his 421st game for the Stars. This made him the team's all-time leader for games played by a goalie. He also broke other team records that month. These included most minutes played and most consecutive games started. However, the Stars did not make the playoffs that year. On April 13, 2010, it was announced that Turco would not be re-signed by Dallas. This ended his nine years with the team.

Chicago Blackhawks (2010–2011)

Turco as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks in April 2011

On August 2, 2010, Turco signed a one-year contract. He joined the Chicago Blackhawks, who had just won the Stanley Cup. He took over as their starting goalie. His first win with Chicago was on October 15. It was a 5–2 victory. As the season went on, Corey Crawford became the main starting goalie. Turco played in 29 games that season.

Playing in Europe and Boston (2011–2012)

Turco with the Boston Bruins in March 2012.

In December 2011, Turco signed a short contract with EC Red Bull Salzburg. This team plays in Austria. He played a few games there. The next month, he signed another contract with them. This contract lasted until the end of their season.

On March 5, 2012, Turco signed with the Boston Bruins. He joined the team because their backup goalie was injured. Since he signed after the NHL trade deadline, Turco could not play in the playoffs that year.

International Hockey

Marty Turco also played for Team Canada. He played in the 2002 World Championship. He won a silver medal in 2005, but he did not play in that tournament. He was also a third goalie for Canada at the 2006 Winter Olympics. In 2011, Turco played for Canada at the 2011 Spengler Cup.

Television Work

Before playing in Austria, Turco worked as an analyst for NHL Network. He provided commentary during the show On the Fly. He joined the network after his team was eliminated from the playoffs in 2011. Turco thought a full-time job in television might be in his future. However, he still wanted to play hockey again.

Turco also appeared in two commercials for the NHL. In a 2006 commercial, he reminded a father that the NHL season was starting. In another commercial from 2007, he was part of a prank with other goalies.

Family Life

Marty Turco is married to Kelly. They have two daughters, Hailey and Katelyn. Hailey was born in early 2002, and Katelyn was born in April 2004. They also have one son, Finley, who was born in August 2008.

Awards and Achievements

Marty Turco received many awards during his hockey career:

• College Hockey:
  • He was named CCHA Rookie of the Year in 1995.
  • He was part of the CCHA All-Rookie Team in 1995.
  • He won NCAA Championships in 1996 and 1998.
  • He was on the NCAA All-Tournament Team in 1996 and 1998.
  • He was on the CCHA first All-Star team in 1997.
  • He was named AHCA West First All-American Team in 1997.
  • He was on the CCHA second All-Star team in 1998.
  • He was the Most Outstanding Player in 1998.

• NHL:
  • He won the Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award in 2001 and 2003.
  • He played in the All-Star Game in 2003, 2004, and 2007.
  • He was named to the Second All-Star team in 2003.
  • He received the NHL Foundation Player Award in 2006.
  • He was featured on the cover of the video game NHL 2K6.

Records Marty Turco Holds

• NCAA:
  • He holds the all-time NCAA record for most wins by a goalie (127 wins).

• NHL:
  • He holds the record for most shutouts in a playoff series (3). He shares this record with several other goalies.

• Dallas Stars Team Records:
  • Most wins by a goalie (262).
  • Most shutouts (40).
  • Most games played by a goalie (509).
  • Most minutes played by a goalie (29,065).
  • Most assists by a goalie (22).
  • Most consecutive games played by a goaltender.
  • Lowest Goals Against Average in a season (1.72 in 2002–03).

Images for kids

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  Turco with the Dallas Stars in February 2009

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  Turco as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks in April 2011

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  Turco with the Boston Bruins in March 2012.