Chicago Blackhawks Greatest 100- #16 Ed Belfour

The Chicago Blackhawks greatest heritage has to be the goalies that have played in between the pipes through the years.  Today we take a look back at Ed Belfour who broke some of Tony Esposito‘s records while playing for the Blackhawks. 

Eddie Belfour was signed as a free agent by the Chicago Blackhawks, and what he did in his rookie season was a surprise to everyone including all Blackhawks fans.

Belfour only went 43-19-7 which not only won him the Calder trophy as the NHL rookie of the year, but he also won the Vezina Trophy for the best goalie in the NHL, and the Jennings trophy just for fun.  It was also the first time in franchise history that a goalie won 40 or more games in a season something not even Tony 0 did his great career.

Belfour led the Chicago Blackhawks to the President’s trophy in 1991 which didn’t mean anything in the first round of the playoffs because the Minnesota North Stars eliminated the Hawks in 4 games.

The following year wasn’t so spectacular for Belfour in the regular season, but it was a pretty special run for the Hawks and Belfour in the postseason when the Eagle went 12-1 to carry the Chicago Blackhawks to the Stanley Cup Final.  Of course he went 0-3 in the Final, and the Hawks would eventually be swept by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

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In the 1992-93 season, Belfour would once again win over 40 games and win the Vezina trophy for the 2nd time in his Blackhawks career.

The one thing Blackhawks can always say what if, is could the Hawks traded for Eric Lindros and kept Dominik Hasek and traded away Belfour.

The Hawks chose Belfour and he would get the Hawks to the 1995 Conference Final, but they would bow out to the Detroit Red Wings, and the Hawks wouldn’t return to a Conference Championship again until 2010.

Belfour of course was famous for his outbursts like this one after getting swept by the St Louis Blues.

Belfour would get traded to the San Jose Sharks, and with him the dark years of Blackhawks hockey had arrived.

Belfour is only one of four Blackhawks goalies to have 200 career wins with the Blackhawks (Tony Esposito, Glenn Hall, Corey Crawford) and he’s the only one to win over 40 games in a season which he did twice.

Belfour won a Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars, and he’s now in the Hall of Fame.  He was a fan favorite which is why his One Last Shift last season was pretty cool.

Next: More Questions Than Answers

Belfour is #16 on our list which means only 16 more days until the season starts!