Chicago Blackhawks Alum Ed Belfour to Recieve Honor

Form Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Ed Belfour is set to be honored by the organization through the ‘One More Shift’ campaign

The Chicago Blackhawks have been making amends with their alumni since Rocky Wirtz took over the organization back in 2007. Many former great players left the Blackhawks organization with a bad taste in their mouths from the previous regime, run by Wirtz’s now-deceased father.

The Blackhawks have been trying to repair bridges by giving some of their former greats “One More Shift.” Thus far, the Blackhawks have honored Denis Savard, Steve Larmer and Jeremy Roenick.

Tonight they will honor Ed Belfour, aka “The Eagle,” with “One More Shift.” Belfour was signed as an undrafted free agent goaltender by the Blackhawks in 1988. Belfour had helped the University of North Dakota to the NCAA championship in the season prior to joining the Blackhawks.

Remembering Belfour’s time in Chicago

He would join the Blackhawks in 1988-89 and impress in the playoffs, going 4-2 with a .915 save percentage and a 2.48 goals-against average. He was named the starter in 1990-91, and The Eagle took flight this season.

Chicago Blackhawks

He won the 1990-91 Calder Trophy, Venzia Trophy and Jennings Trophy. He would also finish third in the Hart Trophy voting. However, the Blackhawks would be ousted early in the playoffs that season.

The next season, Belfour would help the Blackhawks go to the Stanley Cup Final against the Pittsburgh Penguins, by whom they were swept. The Blackhawks would not make the Stanley Cup Final again in Belfour’s tenure with the ’Hawks. They would get close in 1994-95, losing in the conference finals 4-1 to the Detroit Red Wings.

Belfour would be with the Blackhawks until the1996-97 season. That season, Belfour was rumored to have turned down a contract extension from the Blackhawks. After contract talks failed, management then traded Belfour to the San Jose Sharks.

The Sharks traded Ulf Dahlen, defenseman Michal Sykora, goalie Chris Terreri and a conditional second-round draft pick in 1998 for Belfour, who finished his Blackhawks career with 415 games played, 201 wins, 138 losses and 56 ties. He left the Blackhawks as third-winningest goalie in franchise history.

Rounding out Belfour’s career

Belfour would finish out his next season with the San Jose Sharks. He appeared in 13 games, going 3-9-1 with a .884 save percentage and a 3.41 goals-against average. He signed with the Stars in 1997.

The Stars would win the Stanley Cup with Belfour in net in 1998-99 and return to the Final in 1999-2000. In 1998-99, Belfour was excellent in the playoffs. He went 16-7 with 45 goals allowed. He had a .930 save percentage and 1.64 goals-against average with three shutouts.

In the Stars’ runner-up season, he went 14-9 with a .931 save percentage and 1.87 goals-against average. He would spend five years in Dallas, going 160-95-44 in 307 games with one Stanley Cup.

Belfour then found a new home in Toronto after its starting goalie bolted for the Red Wings. Belfour set the single-season franchise record with 37 wins and was an All-Star during his tenure in Toronto. He finished 93-61-15 in five seasons with the Leafs.

After his tenure with the Leafs ended, he made one last stop in the NHL. He went to the Florida Panthers, going 27-17-10 for his last season in NHL. For his NHL career, he went 484-320-125 with a .906 save percentage and a 2.50 goals-against average.

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Belfour didn’t want to stop playing at the age of 41, so he signed with Lelsanda IF in the Sweden-2 league. He had a 2.03 goals-against average in 2007-08.