Éric Bélanger

Éric Bélanger (born December 16, 1977) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played the majority of his professional career as a centre in the National Hockey League (NHL), representing the Los Angeles Kings, Carolina Hurricanes, Atlanta Thrashers, Minnesota Wild, Washington Capitals, Phoenix Coyotes and Edmonton Oilers. He was originally drafted in the fourth round, 96th overall, in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft by Los Angeles.

Éric Bélanger
Bélanger with the Edmonton Oilers in 2012
Born (1977-12-16) December 16, 1977
Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Left
Played for Los Angeles Kings
HC Bolzano
Carolina Hurricanes
Atlanta Thrashers
Minnesota Wild
Washington Capitals
Phoenix Coyotes
Edmonton Oilers
Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg
NHL Draft 96th overall, 1996
Los Angeles Kings
Playing career 1997–2013

In 2021, Bélanger was named the first head coach the Trois-Rivières Lions, an expansion team in the ECHL affiliated with the Montreal Canadiens.[1]

Playing career

As a youth, Bélanger played in the 1991 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Orford, Quebec.[2]

On March 3, 2010, the NHL trade deadline, Bélanger was traded to the Washington Capitals in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. In Game 5 of the Capitals' 2010 playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens, Bélanger took a high stick to the mouth from Canadiens defenceman Marc-André Bergeron, which resulted in Bélanger losing nine teeth. Moments after the hit, the game telecast showed Bélanger on the bench removing a loose tooth from his mouth, using just his fingers and a piece of gauze.[3]

Bélanger signed a three-year, $5.25 million contract with the Edmonton Oilers on July 1, 2011.[4] In his first season in Edmonton, however, he set offensive career-lows, scoring just four goals and 12 assists, the lowest totals in both categories in his NHL career.

During the lockout-shortened 2012–13 season, Bélanger suffered a second successive disappointing year going without a goal in 26 games for the Oilers. On July 4, 2013, he was placed on unconditional waivers in order for a compliance buyout from the final year of his contract with the Oilers.[5]

On July 15, 2013, Bélanger left the NHL and signed a one-year contract abroad in Russia with Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).[6] He played in just seven games with Avtomobilist in the 2013–14 season, before opting to return to North America and retire from professional hockey on September 25, 2013.[7]

Personal life

Bélanger and Alexandra Morin have two daughters: Oceanne and Lola Pearl.[8]

Career statistics
Belanger with the Minnesota Wild.
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1994–95 Beauport Harfangs QMJHL 71 12 28 40 24 18 5 9 14 25
1995–96 Beauport Harfangs QMJHL 59 35 48 83 18 20 13 14 27 6
1996–97 Beauport Harfangs QMJHL 31 13 37 50 30 — — — — —
1996–97 Rimouski Océanic QMJHL 31 26 41 67 36 — — — — —
1997–98 Fredericton Canadiens AHL 56 17 34 51 28 4 2 1 3 2
1998–99 Long Beach Ice Dogs IHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
1998–99 Springfield Falcons AHL 33 8 18 26 10 3 0 1 1 2
1999–00 Lowell Lock Monsters AHL 65 15 25 40 20 7 3 3 6 2
2000–01 Lowell Lock Monsters AHL 13 8 10 18 4 — — — — —
2000–01 Los Angeles Kings NHL 62 9 12 21 16 13 1 4 5 2
2001–02 Los Angeles Kings NHL 53 8 16 24 21 7 0 0 0 4
2002–03 Los Angeles Kings NHL 62 16 19 35 26 — — — — —
2003–04 Los Angeles Kings NHL 81 13 20 33 44 — — — — —
2004–05 Bolzano-Bozen Foxes Serie A 12 13 10 23 20 — — — — —
2005–06 Los Angeles Kings NHL 65 17 20 37 62 — — — — —
2006–07 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 56 8 12 20 14 — — — — —
2006–07 Atlanta Thrashers NHL 24 9 6 15 12 4 1 0 1 12
2007–08 Minnesota Wild NHL 75 13 24 37 30 6 0 0 0 4
2008–09 Minnesota Wild NHL 79 13 23 36 26 — — — — —
2009–10 Minnesota Wild NHL 60 13 22 35 28 — — — — —
2009–10 Washington Capitals NHL 17 2 4 6 4 7 0 1 1 4
2010–11 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 82 13 27 40 36 4 0 0 0 2
2011–12 Edmonton Oilers NHL 78 4 12 16 32 — — — — —
2012–13 Edmonton Oilers NHL 26 0 3 3 10 — — — — —
2013–14 Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg KHL 7 0 0 0 4 — — — — —
NHL totals 820 138 220 358 361 41 2 5 7 28

References
  1. "ECHL: Éric Bélanger becomes coach of the Trois-Rivières Lions". journaldequebec.com (in French). June 15, 2021.
  2. "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  3. "Adventures In Hockey Dentistry". NPR.org. April 26, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2010.
  4. "NHL Free Agent Tracker". The Sports Network. Retrieved July 1, 2011.
  5. "Edmonton Oilers buyout Belanger's contract". Calgary Herald. July 4, 2013. Retrieved July 4, 2013.
  6. "Belanger sigs with Yekaterinburg of the KHL". thescore.com. July 15, 2013. Retrieved July 15, 2013.
  7. "Eric Belanger has decided to retire". Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg. September 25, 2013. Retrieved September 25, 2013.
  8. "Phoenix Coyotes 2010-11 Media Guide". Scribd.com. October 1, 2010. Retrieved October 2, 2010.
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