Marty Turco facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Marty Turco |
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Turco with the Dallas Stars in February 2009
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| Born | August 13, 1975 Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada |
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| 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 |
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| National team | .svg){kind=small} Canada |
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| NHL Draft | 124th overall, 1994 Dallas Stars |
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| Playing career | 1998–2012 | ||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Marty Vincent Turco (born August 13, 1975) is a former professional ice hockey goaltender from Canada. He played for 11 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He is best known for his nine seasons with the Dallas Stars. He also played for the Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins.
Turco was famous for his excellent puck-handling skills. Hockey expert Don Cherry even called him "the smartest goalie in the NHL." After retiring from hockey, Turco became an analyst for the NHL Network.
Contents
A Star Goalie's Journey
College Champion
Marty Turco started his major hockey career in college. He played for the University of Michigan team. During his time there, he was a standout player and helped his team win two national NCAA championships.
In the 1994 NHL Entry Draft, the Dallas Stars selected Turco. After finishing college, he played for the Kalamazoo Wings, Dallas's minor league team. He was so good that he was named the league's Rookie of the Year in 1999.
Dallas Stars (2000–2010)
After two years in the minor leagues, Turco joined the Dallas Stars as the backup goalie to Ed Belfour. After two seasons of learning, Turco became the starting goaltender in 2002.
In his first year as the starter (2002–03), Turco set an NHL record with a 1.72 goals against average (GAA). This means he allowed very few goals per game. He played in the NHL All-Star Game and was named to the league's Second All-Star Team.
Turco continued to be a top goalie for the Stars for many years. In the 2005–06 season, he won 41 games, a personal best. In the 2007 Stanley Cup playoffs, he set a record by getting three shutouts (games where he allowed zero goals) in a single playoff series against the Vancouver Canucks.
By the time he left the Stars in 2010, Turco had set many team records. He played the most games, had the most wins, and the most shutouts of any goalie in Dallas Stars history.
Final Seasons
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On August 2, 2010, Turco signed with the Chicago Blackhawks. He played 29 games for them before a younger goalie, Corey Crawford, took over the starting job.
In late 2011, Turco briefly played for a team in Austria called EC Red Bull Salzburg.
He returned to the NHL in March 2012, signing with the Boston Bruins. The Bruins needed a backup goalie because their regular backup, Tuukka Rask, was injured. Turco played five games for Boston before retiring from professional hockey.
International Career
Turco also played for his home country, Canada. He was part of Team Canada at the 2002 World Championships. In 2005, he was on the team that won a silver medal at the World Championships, although he did not play in any games.
He was also chosen as the third goalie for Team Canada at the 2006 Winter Olympics.
Life Outside of Hockey
After his playing career, Turco worked as a TV analyst for the NHL Network, where he shared his expert opinions on hockey games.
He also appeared in a couple of fun commercials for the NHL. In one, he surprises a family in their car to remind them the hockey season is starting.
Turco and his wife, Kelly, have three children: two daughters, Hailey and Katelyn, and a son, Finley.
Awards and Records
Turco received many awards throughout his career and set several records.
College Awards
- CCHA Rookie of the Year (1995)
- NCAA Champion (1996, 1998)
- NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player (1998)
NHL Awards
- Played in three All-Star Games (2003, 2004, 2007)
- Named to the NHL Second All-Star Team (2003)
- Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award for best save percentage (2001, 2003)
- NHL Foundation Player Award for community service (2006)
Records
- Most career wins in NCAA history (127).
- Tied for most shutouts in a single NHL playoff series (3).
- Dallas Stars' all-time leader in wins (262), shutouts (40), and games played by a goalie (509).
Images for kids
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Turco with the Boston Bruins in March 2012.
