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, born on August 13, 1975, is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goalie. He played for 11 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). Marty spent nine seasons with the Dallas Stars and also played for the Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins. He was known for being great at handling the puck, which made hockey expert Don Cherry call him "the smartest goalie in the NHL." Today, Turco works as an analyst for NHL Network.

Marty Turco's Hockey Journey

Starting Out in Hockey

Marty Turco began playing minor hockey in his hometown. Even though he wasn't picked in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) draft, he signed with the Cambridge Winterhawks Jr. B. team when he was 17. After two seasons there, he got a scholarship to play college hockey at the University of Michigan. While playing for Michigan, Turco helped his team win two NCAA championships.

The Dallas Stars picked Turco in the fifth round of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft. He earned many awards during his four years at Michigan. These included Rookie of the Year in 1995 and Tournament MVP in 1998. After college, Turco played for the Kalamazoo Wings, which was Dallas's minor league team. In 1999, he was named the IHL Rookie of the Year.

Time with the Dallas Stars

After two years with the K-Wings, Turco got the chance to be a backup goalie for Ed Belfour in Dallas. He spent two seasons learning and gaining experience. After the 2001–02 season, the Stars made Turco their main starting goalie.

In his first year as a starter, during the 2002–03 season, Turco set a modern NHL record. His goals against average (GAA) was an amazing 1.72. This meant he let in very few goals per game. He played in the NHL All-Star Game that season. He also finished second in voting for the Vezina Trophy, which is given to the NHL's best regular season goalie. His .932 save percentage was also the best in the NHL that year.

Turco continued to play well in the 2003–04 season. He started in the All-Star Game again. In the 2005–06 season, Turco won a career-high 41 games.

On April 13, 2007, Turco got his first ever playoff shutout against the Vancouver Canucks. This helped his team tie the series. He later got two more shutouts in that same series. The three shutouts Turco had in that series set a record for the most shutouts in a single playoff series. Other goalies like Martin Brodeur and Jean-Sébastien Giguère have since tied this record.

In the 2007–08 season, Turco won 32 games. He helped the Stars win playoff series against the Anaheim Ducks and the San Jose Sharks. However, they lost to the Detroit Red Wings in the Western Conference Finals.

On January 15, 2009, Turco played his 421st game for the Stars. This made him the team's all-time leader in games played by a goalie. He also broke other team records for 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 Stars.

Playing for Other Teams

Chicago Blackhawks

Turco as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks in April 2011

On August 2, 2010, Turco signed a one-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks. They had just won the Stanley Cup. He was brought in to replace their previous starting goalie. His first win with Chicago was on October 15, 2010. As the 2010–11 season went on, another goalie, Corey Crawford, started playing more. Turco played in 29 games that season.

EC Red Bull Salzburg

Turco with the Boston Bruins in March 2012.

In December 2011, Turco signed a short-term contract with EC Red Bull Salzburg in Austria. He played a few games there. The next month, he signed another contract with them. This contract had a special "NHL-out" clause. This meant he could leave if an NHL team wanted him.

Boston Bruins

On March 5, 2012, Turco signed a contract with the Boston Bruins. He joined the Bruins because their backup goalie was injured. Because he signed after the NHL trade deadline, Turco was not allowed to play in the 2012 playoffs.

Playing for Team Canada

Marty Turco played for Team Canada at 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.

Marty Turco on Television

Before signing with EC Salzburg, Turco worked as an analyst for the NHL Network. He provided insights during the show On the Fly. Turco joined the NHL Network team after the Blackhawks were eliminated from the playoffs in 2011. Turco said that a full-time job in television might be in his future. However, he also wanted to play hockey again and was not ready to retire.

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, which came out during the 2007 NHL All-Star Game, Turco was shown sleeping while other goalies played a prank on him with shaving cream.

Marty Turco's Family Life

Marty Turco and his wife, Kelly, have two daughters named Hailey (born in 2002) and Katelyn (born in 2004). They also have one son named Finley (born in 2008).

Awards and Honours

Records

NCAA Records

• All-time NCAA wins record (127 wins).

NHL Records

• Most shutouts in a playoff series (3, in 2007). This record is tied with several other goalies.

Dallas Stars Records

• Most wins (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 goalie
• Lowest Goals Against Average in a season (1.72 in 2002–03)