Éric Bélanger

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Éric Bélanger
Bélanger with the Edmonton Oilers in 2012
Born (1977-12-16) December 16, 1977 (age 46)
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
NHL draft 96th overall, 1996
Los Angeles Kings
Playing career 1997–2013

Éric Bélanger (born December 16, 1977) is a

1996 NHL Entry Draft
by Los Angeles.

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

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.[citation needed]

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.

External links