Craig Billington

Lore & Background

Billington began his junior career with the Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League, where he was named the OHL Scholastic Player of the Year and earned a spot on the OHL First All-Star Team. He was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in 1984 and made his NHL debut in 1985, recording 23 saves in a 5–2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Over his career, he played for six NHL teams, often serving as a backup or splitting time with other goaltenders. His most notable seasons included a 21-win campaign with the Devils in 1992–93 and a stint with the Ottawa Senators where he started 63 games in 1993–94. He finished his playing career with the Washington Capitals, retiring after the 2002–03 season.

Reader's Guide

Craig Billington's NHL career spanned 15 seasons, during which he played for six teams and served primarily as a reliable backup goaltender. His most significant contributions came with the New Jersey Devils, where he posted a 21–16–4 record in 1992–93 and recorded his first career shutout. He later became the starting goaltender for the expansion Ottawa Senators, enduring a challenging 11–41–4 season in 1993–94. Billington's tenure with the Boston Bruins was brief but effective, as he posted a 5–1–0 record in eight games during the 1994–95 season. He also played for the Colorado Avalanche, where he achieved a .909 save percentage in 1996–97. After retiring, Billington transitioned into management, becoming an assistant general manager for the Colorado Avalanche and general manager of their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. His career exemplifies the role of a journeyman goaltender who adapted to various team needs and later found success in hockey operations.

Did You Know?

• Billington was the first goaltender selected in the 1984 NHL entry draft.
• He won the Bobby Smith Trophy as OHL Scholastic Player of the Year in 1985.
• He made his NHL debut on October 26, 1985, with the New Jersey Devils, making 23 saves in a 5–2 win over the Los Angeles Kings.
• Billington recorded his first NHL shutout on December 28, 1991, stopping all 26 shots in a 3–0 win over the Buffalo Sabres.

From Small-Town Rinks to OHL Recognition

Craig Richard Billington's path to professional hockey began in the small-town rink culture of London, Ontario. As a young player, he represented a Stoneybrook minor team at the 1979 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament, an early taste of competitive ice hockey. He continued his development at A.B. Lucas Secondary School before suiting up for the London Chester Pegg Diamonds in the Western Junior B. OHA. His talent caught the eye of OHL scouts, and the Belleville Bulls selected him 51st overall in the fourth round of the 1983 OHL Priority Draft. Over three seasons with Belleville, Billington steadily refined his craft. His 1984-85 campaign proved particularly rewarding: a 26-19 regular-season record, a 2.71 goals-against average across 14 playoff games, and recognition as the OHL Scholastic Player of the Year via the Bobby Smith Trophy. He also earned a spot on the OHL First All-Star Team that year. In 1985-86, his late-season return to Belleville helped propel the Bulls to the J. Ross Robertson Cup finals, where they ultimately fell four games to two to the Guelph Platers.

A Patient Ascent with the New Jersey Devils

Selected 23rd overall in the second round of the 1984 NHL Entry Draft at the Montreal Forum, Billington became the first goaltender taken that year by the New Jersey Devils. His professional journey was anything but linear. For nearly a decade, he shuttled between the Devils and their AHL affiliates—the Maine Mariners and later the Utica Devils—building his game in the minors. His NHL debut came on October 26, 1985, in a 5-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings, where he recorded 23 saves. The 1991-92 season marked a turning point: Billington stayed in the NHL for the full year for the first time, posting a team-best 3.04 GAA and .892 save percentage in a backup role. On December 28, 1991, he stopped all 26 shots he faced for his first career shutout against the Buffalo Sabres. The following season, he split time with Chris Terreri, earning a career-high 21 victories. He also made his playoff debut in April 1993, stopping 31 shots in a close 4-3 loss to Pittsburgh before the Devils traded him to Ottawa in June.

Ottawa, the Trade, and a 15-Year Arc

Billington arrived in Ottawa as the Senators' designated starter following a June 1993 trade that sent him, along with Troy Mallette and a fourth-round pick, to the capital in exchange for Peter Sidorkiewicz and future considerations. His first game with the new club on October 6, 1993, ended in a 5-5 tie with the Quebec Nordiques, and he struggled to find his footing, starting the season 0-4-1 before finally collecting a win over the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. Over the 1993-94 season, he appeared in 63 games with a 4.59 GAA. The following year, his role diminished as the Senators acquired Don Beaupre, and Billington managed just nine appearances with a 0-6-2 record. Across his 15-year NHL career spanning multiple teams, Billington was consistently known by the nickname "Biller." His journey—from a small-town Ontario kid to a reliable NHL backup and occasional starter—reflected the grit of a goaltender who never quite became a household name but remained a steady presence in the league for over a decade.

From Between the Pipes to the Front Office

Beyond his 15 seasons in the NHL, Craig Billington's story extends into the front office, where he has continued to shape the game from behind the bench. He currently serves as an assistant general manager for the Colorado Avalanche and simultaneously holds the title of General Manager for the American Hockey League's Colorado Eagles, a dual role that bridges the NHL and its developmental affiliate. His path to these positions mirrors the long, patient career he had between the pipes: years of splitting time between levels, earning trust through consistency rather than flash. Billington's junior career also included a notable stint with the Canadian National Team during the 1990-91 season, where he appeared in 34 games and posted a 3.15 GAA, a mark that underscored his reliability at the international level. Though he never captured a Stanley Cup or starred in a marquee playoff run, his career arc—from a Pee-Wee Tournament participant in London, Ontario, to an NHL executive in Colorado—embodies the quiet, steady contributions that sustain professional hockey from the inside out.

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