Marty Turco

Lore & Background

Turco played minor hockey for the Sault Ste. Marie Legion program and was drafted by the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in the 1991 OHL Priority Selection but chose not to report. He signed with the Cambridge Winter Hawks Jr. A team in 1992, then played college hockey at the University of Michigan, winning one NCAA championship (1996). He was drafted by the Dallas Stars in the fifth round of the 1994 NHL entry draft. After graduating, he played for Dallas' IHL affiliate, the Michigan K-Wings, and was named IHL Rookie of the Year in 1999.

He became the Stars' starting goaltender in 2002–03, setting a franchise record and the lowest GAA in the NHL that season with a 1.72. He played for the Stars until 2010, then signed with the Chicago Blackhawks for the 2010–11 season. He later played for EC Red Bull Salzburg in Austria and signed with the Boston Bruins in March 2012. He played for Team Canada at the 2002 World Championship, won a silver medal in 2005 (did not play), and was a third goalie at the 2006 Winter Olympics. He also played for Canada at the 2011 Spengler Cup.

Reader's Guide

Turco is known for his puck-handling prowess; Don Cherry called him 'the smartest goalie in the NHL.' He holds the Dallas Stars franchise records for most wins (262), most shutouts (40), most games played (509), most minutes played (29,065), most assists by a goalie (22), and lowest GAA in a season (1.72 in 2002–03). He also holds the NHL record for most shutouts in a playoff series (3 in 2007), tied with several other goaltenders. He worked as an analyst for NHL Network after the 2011 playoffs.