Roger Belanger

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Roger Belanger
Born (1965-12-01)December 1, 1965
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
Died September 16, 2011(2011-09-16) (aged 45)
Welland, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Right
Played for
NHL Draft
16th overall,
Playing career 1984–1988

Roger Richard Belanger (December 1, 1965 — September 16, 2011) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played 44 games in the National Hockey League with the Pittsburgh Penguins during the 1984–85 season.

Playing career

Belanger started his junior career with the

1984 NHL Entry Draft, the Pittsburgh Penguins chose Belanger with their third pick of the first round, the 16th choice overall, following their selections of Mario Lemieux (1st overall) and Doug Bodger
(8th).

Belanger stepped right into the rebuilding Penguins' lineup in the 1984–85 season, and had eight points (three goals and five assists) in 44 games. The Penguins sent him back to the OHL, where his rights were traded to the Hamilton Steelhawks and in three regular season games in Hamilton, Belanger had six points (3G-3A). Belanger helped the Steelhawks in the playoffs with 13 points, including three goals, in 17 games.

In 1985–86, Belanger failed to crack the Penguins' lineup and found himself with the Baltimore Skipjacks of the AHL, as he recorded 17 goals and 38 points in 69 games in what proved to be the last injury-free season of his career. The following year Belanger played in 32 games with Baltimore, getting 20 points (nine goals and 11 assists), then spent time with the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the IHL, where he had a goal and two assists in five games. In 1987–88, Belanger was beset with numerous injuries and played in just five games with the Lumberjacks, getting a goal and three assists, then played two games with the New Haven Nighthawks of the AHL, where he went scoreless.

That proved to be the end of Belanger's playing career, as he retired from hockey in 1988 due to injuries.

Death

Belanger died September 16, 2011, from a heart attack at his home in Welland, Ontario, age 45.[1]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season
Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1981–82 Welland Maple Leafs AAA Midget 25 20 21 41
1982–83 London Knights OHL 68 17 14 31 53 1 0 0 0 5
1983–84 Kingston Canadians OHL 67 44 46 90 66
1984–85 Hamilton Steelhawks OHL 3 3 3 6 0 17 3 10 13 47
1984–85 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 44 3 5 8 32
1985–86 Baltimore Skipjacks AHL 69 17 21 38 61
1986–87 Baltimore Skipjacks AHL 32 9 11 20 14
1986–87
Muskegon Lumberjacks
IHL 5 1 2 3 0
1987–88 Muskegon Lumberjacks IHL 5 1 3 4 6
1987–88 New Haven Nighthawks AHL 2 0 0 0 0
AHL totals 103 26 32 58 75
NHL totals 44 3 5 8 32

References

  1. ^ "Roger Belanger Obituary". Welland Tribune. Retrieved September 21, 2011.

External links

Awards and achievements
Preceded by
1984
Succeeded by