Ed Belfour

Lore & Background

Belfour played junior hockey for the Winkler Flyers before going to the University of North Dakota where he helped the school win the NCAA championship in the 1986–87 season. After being drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft (6th round, 133rd overall), he signed with the team. He played with the Saginaw Hawks of the IHL before being called up in the 1988–89 season by Chicago. Playing with the Canadian National Team in 1989 rather than returning to Saginaw, the Blackhawks used him for the 1990 playoff run and kept him as the regular starter for the next six seasons, which included winning the Calder Memorial Trophy for his rookie play in 1991, winning the Vezina Trophy twice and backstopping them to the 1992 Stanley Cup Final.

With free agency looming, he was traded to San Jose late in the 1996–97 season. He subsequently signed as a free agent with the Dallas Stars in 1997, where he would backstop the team for five seasons and reach the Stanley Cup Final in 1999 and 2000, winning the former for his only championship. In his first season with Toronto in the 2002–03 season, he reached 400 career wins. He spent his final NHL season with Florida in 2007, where he finished with the fourth-most wins by a goaltender in NHL history (behind Patrick Roy, Martin Brodeur, and Terry Sawchuk). He played one final season with Leksands IF and retired in 2008.

Reader's Guide

Belfour's 484 wins rank fifth all-time among NHL goaltenders. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in the 2011 class, his first year of eligibility. He is one of only two players to have won an NCAA championship, an Olympic gold medal, and the Stanley Cup (the other such player is Neal Broten). His characteristic face mask earned him the sobriquet 'Eddie the Eagle', and some of his quirks and off-ice antics earned him the nickname 'Crazy Eddie'.

Rise from Undrafted to Rookie of the Year

Edward John Belfour's path to NHL stardom was anything but conventional, beginning in junior hockey with the Winkler Flyers before he made a significant impact at the University of North Dakota. As an older freshman during the 1986–87 season, he anchored the Fighting Sioux to a record-breaking 40-win campaign and an NCAA national championship title. Despite this collegiate success, Belfour went undrafted in the 1987 NHL draft, forcing him to sign as a free agent with the Chicago Blackhawks.

His professional journey initially took him through the International Hockey League's Saginaw Hawks, where he posted impressive numbers before splitting time between the minors and the NHL in 1988–89. A pivotal decision to play for the Canadian National Team instead of returning to Saginaw kept his momentum high. This choice paid off when Chicago recalled him for their 1990 playoff run; his superior performance compared to other netminders secured his spot as the franchise starter, setting the stage for a historic rookie campaign.

Dominance in Chicago and Trophy Haul

Belfour's tenure with the Chicago Blackhawks defined an era of goaltending excellence, culminating in one of the most decorated rookie seasons in history. During the 1990–91 season, he shattered records by winning 43 games while leading the league in save percentage and goals-against average. This unprecedented dominance earned him the Calder Memorial Trophy as Rookie of the Year, a feat made unique because he was awarded under the 'Makarov Rule' due to his age eligibility status that year.

He simultaneously captured the Vezina Trophy for the league's best goaltender and the William M. Jennings Trophy for fewest goals allowed. His brilliance continued in subsequent seasons, as he repeated as Vezina winner in 1993 and added another Jennings Trophy in 1995. Beyond individual accolades, Belfour was a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's most valuable player, becoming the first rookie goaltender to achieve such recognition while backstopping Chicago to their first Stanley Cup Final appearance in nearly two decades.

The 1992 Stanley Cup Final Heartbreak

Despite his individual brilliance, Belfour's quest for a championship with Chicago ended in agonizing fashion during the 1992 Stanley Cup Final against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The series was marked by dramatic collapses and narrow margins that highlighted the difference between a great goalie and a champion team. In Game One, Chicago held a commanding lead before Pittsburgh rallied to win in regulation, with Mario Lemieux scoring the game-winner just seconds before the final buzzer.

Belfour's performance deteriorated as the series progressed; he was pulled from Game Four after allowing two goals on four shots early in the contest. Head coach Mike Keenan replaced him with Dominik Hašek, who helped secure a late victory for Pittsburgh to clinch the title. This loss underscored the intense competition of the era and served as a precursor to Belfour's eventual championship success elsewhere, marking a defining moment of resilience before his career moved forward.

Legacy, Records, and Hall of Fame Induction

Ed Belfour retired with a legacy that places him among the absolute elite in hockey history, boasting 484 career wins which rank fifth all-time among goaltenders. His journey took him through five different franchises, including stints with the San Jose Sharks, Dallas Stars, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Florida Panthers. It was with the Dallas Stars where he finally captured his only Stanley Cup championship in 1999, capping off a career that saw him reach the Finals three separate times.

His unique distinction includes being one of only two players to win an NCAA title, an Olympic gold medal, and the Stanley Cup. Known affectionately as 'Eddie the Eagle' for his iconic mask design or 'Crazy Eddie' for his eccentric personality, Belfour was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2011 during his first year of eligibility. His final professional season came with Leksands IF in Sweden before he officially retired in 2008.

Championship Victory and Later Career Moves

Following his trade to San Jose and subsequent free agency signing with the Dallas Stars, Belfour found new life as a veteran leader who would eventually secure the ultimate prize. Backstopping Dallas for five seasons, he guided the team to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals appearances in 1999 and 2000, finally lifting the trophy in 1999 for his first championship. His career longevity was remarkable; upon joining the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2002–03, he became one of the few goalies to reach 400 career wins. He concluded his NHL journey with the Florida Panthers in 2007, finishing as the third-most winning goaltender in league history at that time. Even after leaving North America, Belfour played one final season with Leksands IF before retiring in 2008, having left an indelible mark on the game through his durability and skill across multiple decades.