Steve Bégin
Steve Bégin | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Born |
Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada | June 14, 1978|||||
Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | |||||
Weight | 195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb) | |||||
Position | Centre | |||||
Shot | Left | |||||
Played for |
NHL Draft |
40th overall, 1996 Calgary Flames | ||||
Playing career | 1997–2013 |
Joseph Denis Stéphan Bégin (French pronunciation:
Bégin played
Personal life
A native of Trois-Rivières, Quebec,[1] Bégin grew up in a single parent household, raised by his father Gilles on a welfare income.[2] Gilles worked as a landscaper, while Steve often helped his father at work until he was 18 years old.[3]
Introduced to hockey by family friends, Bégin began playing at age six and was an offensively minded player in his
Bégin moved to
Playing career
Junior
Bégin played three years for the
Bégin earned a spot with the Calgary Flames to begin the
Bégin made his lone appearance with the Canadian national team that season, playing and serving as an alternate captain with the junior team at the 1998 World Junior Hockey Championship.[1] He had no points and ten penalty minutes in seven games in what was an eighth-place finish for Canada.[11]
Calgary Flames
After graduating from junior hockey, Bégin played his first full professional season with Saint John in
Bégin played his first full NHL season in
Montreal Canadiens
Bégin was promoted by Buffalo coach
After playing through injury in 2003–04, Bégin underwent shoulder surgery that caused him to miss five months of playing time. When he returned to action, an ongoing labour dispute in the NHL led to his being assigned to the AHL's Hamilton Bulldogs in February 2005, with whom he was immediately counted upon to play a leadership role.[16] Bégin returned to the Canadiens in 2005–06 and set career highs in goals (11), points (23) and penalty minutes (113).[7] The Montreal media named him the recipient of the Jacques-Beauchamp Molson Trophy, a team award given to a Canadiens' player who played a "dominant role" with the team, without earning any other honours.[17] Plagued by injuries, Bégin missed time due to rib and shoulder injuries.[18][19] He appeared in only 52 games in 2006–07 and 44 games in 2007–08 and scored 18 points combined over the two seasons.[7]
Dallas, Boston and Nashville
Bégin was increasingly left out of the Canadiens' playing lineup in 2008–09, and after being sat out of the lineup for five consecutive games, expressed a desire to be traded if the team had no use for his services. The Canadiens obliged, completing a deal on February 26, 2009, that sent him to the Dallas Stars in exchange for defenceman Doug Janik.[20] Stars' general manager Les Jackson promoted Bégin's qualities as a checking-line forward: "Steve is a gritty, honest player with a very strong work ethic. He's good on the penalty kill and he is a competitor in every sense of the word."[21] Bégin had 12 points in 62 games combined between Montreal and Dallas.[7]
Leaving Dallas following the season, Bégin signed a one-year contract with the Boston Bruins for the 2009–10 season.[22] He played in 77 games for Boston, the most of any single season in his career, and recorded 14 points.[7] He scored his first career playoff goal, in his 30th playoff game, against the Philadelphia Flyers.[23] The Bruins opted not to re-sign the 32-year-old Bégin, due both to their salary cap constraints and a desire to build a younger lineup.[24]
Without a contract, Bégin remained a free agent as the 2010–11 season began. He eventually signed a one-year contract with the Nashville Predators on October 22, 2010, but was assigned to their AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals.[10] Bégin spent the majority of the season in Milwaukee and appeared in only two games with Nashville.[7]
Return to Calgary
Plagued by a hip injury,
"It's great to put this jersey on. I worked hard this past year. Sometimes, I was twice a day in the gym. I skated five to six times a week. I wanted to be ready. I didn’t want to miss my chance. I knew this would be the last call for me, the last chance I would get. And I made it, so it pays off at the end."
—Bégin explains his emotions after earning a spot with the Flames in 2013.[26]
When Hartley took over as the Flames' head coach prior to the 2012–13 NHL season, he offered Bégin a tryout in Calgary.[6] Bégin's work ethic during the team's training camp prior to the lockout-shortened season earned him a contract with the Flames, who believed he could serve as a penalty killer and energy player.[27] Over two years since his last NHL game, Bégin returned to the league,[2] and appeared in his 500th game on February 24, 2013, against the Coyotes.[28] He appeared in 36 games for the Flames, scoring four goals and adding four assists.[7] In recognition of his successful comeback, the Calgary chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association named him the Flames' nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for dedication and perseverance.[2]
Bégin was signed to a one-year, AHL contract with the Abbotsford Heat for the 2013–14 season.[29] He was unable to play due to another injury and, after doctors informed him that he would miss the entire season, Bégin announced his retirement from professional hockey on January 16, 2014.[30]
Playing style
Bégin's father taught his son that his best chance of making a career in hockey was as a defensive specialist and impressed on him the need for a strong work ethic. He was raised to follow role players like Mario Tremblay, Guy Carbonneau and Bob Gainey rather than stars such as Guy Lafleur or Wayne Gretzky.[4] Bégin has played the majority of his career as a grinder, willing to play a physical game.[28] His style often results in bruises and injuries,[4] a part of the game he relishes. Speaking of his comeback with the Flames in 2013, he said, "What I missed the most was the pain of playing hockey. The pain from blocking shots, getting hit, hitting people... I missed it a lot."[6] That attitude impressed his coaches; Bob Hartley argued that players like Bégin are a valuable commodity: "Players with the commitment of Steve Bégin, I really believe that there's not enough (of them) in the NHL. I always admired the way that he played. I look at the spirit, the leadership. Pretty amazing what he's done for us."[31]
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
Regular season
|
Playoffs | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
1993–94 | Trois-Rivières Estacades | QMAAA | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1994–95 | Cap-de-la-Madeleine Estacades | QMAAA | 35 | 9 | 15 | 24 | 48 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
1995–96 | Val-d'Or Foreurs | QMJHL
|
64 | 13 | 23 | 36 | 218 | 13 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 33 | ||
1996–97 | Val-d'Or Foreurs | QMJHL | 58 | 13 | 33 | 46 | 229 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 | ||
1996–97 | Saint John Flames | AHL | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | ||
1997–98 | Val-d'Or Foreurs | QMJHL | 35 | 18 | 17 | 35 | 73 | 15 | 2 | 12 | 14 | 34 | ||
1997–98 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1998–99 | Saint John Flames | AHL | 73 | 11 | 9 | 20 | 156 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 18 | ||
1999–00 | Saint John Flames | AHL | 47 | 13 | 12 | 25 | 99 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1999–00 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 13 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2000–01 | Saint John Flames | AHL | 58 | 14 | 14 | 28 | 109 | 19 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 18 | ||
2000–01 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2001–02 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 51 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 79 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2002–03 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 50 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 51 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2003–04 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 52 | 10 | 5 | 15 | 41 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | ||
2004–05 | Hamilton Bulldogs | AHL | 21 | 10 | 3 | 13 | 20 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | ||
2005–06 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 76 | 11 | 12 | 23 | 113 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
2006–07 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 52 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 46 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2007–08 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 44 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 48 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 | ||
2008–09 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 42 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 27 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2008–09 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 20 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 15 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2009–10 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 77 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 53 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10 | ||
2010–11 | Milwaukee Admirals | AHL | 36 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 30 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 12 | ||
2010–11 | Nashville Predators | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2012–13 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 36 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
AHL totals | 235 | 51 | 41 | 92 | 414 | 47 | 15 | 15 | 30 | 62 | ||||
NHL totals | 524 | 56 | 52 | 108 | 561 | 36 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 30 |
International
Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1998 | Canada | WJC
|
7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
Awards and honours
Award | Year | |
---|---|---|
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
| ||
President's Cup champion
|
1997–98 | |
American Hockey League | ||
Calder Cup champion | 2000–01 | [9] |
Jack A. Butterfield Trophy Most valuable player of the playoffs |
2001 | [9] |
NHL team awards
| ||
Jacques-Beauchamp Molson Trophy Montreal – Unheralded "dominant" player |
2006–07 | [17] |
References
- ^ a b c d "Steve Begin biography". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f Cruickshank, Scott (April 24, 2013). "Begin's perseverance pays off in spades". Calgary Herald. p. C4.
- ^ a b Player profile: Steve Begin. Calgary Flames Hockey Club. 2013. p. 75.
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ignored (help) - ^ a b c Hickey, Pat (December 17, 2008). "Bégin: Scoring machine to defensive specialist". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved April 28, 2013.
- ^ "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ a b c d Sportak, Randy (April 24, 2013). "In the Beginning". Calgary Herald. p. S7.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Steve Begin player card". National Hockey League. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
- ^ Halls, Pat, ed. (2002). 2002–03 Calgary Flames Media Guide. Calgary Flames Hockey Club. p. 92.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Halls, Pat, ed. (2002). 2002–03 Calgary Flames Media Guide. Calgary Flames Hockey Club. p. 69.
- ^ a b "Predators sign Forward Steve Begin to a One-year, Two-Way Contract". Clarksville Online. October 22, 2010. Archived from the original on July 28, 2013. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
- ISBN 978-0-7710-9598-6.
- ISBN 0-385-25999-9.
- ^ "Flames acquire Reinprecht, Warrener". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. July 5, 2003. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
- ^ Graham, Tim (October 4, 2003). "Sabres waive goodbye to Begin, Bouchard". Buffalo News. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 25, 2013 – via Highbeam.
- ^ Todd, Jack (April 19, 2004). "Canadiens look to finish fight". Boston Globe. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
- ^ Mckay, Garry (March 29, 2005). "Why Begin's a hot Dog now; He's a 'leader on and off the ice,' says Hamilton's coach". Hamilton Spectator. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
- ^ a b "Begin Jacques Beauchamp-Molson Trophy recipient for 2005-06". Montreal Canadiens Hockey Club. April 14, 2006. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
- ^ "Streaking Lecavalier faces Habs". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. December 14, 2006. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
- ^ "Canadiens forced to shelve Smolinski, Begin". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. December 11, 2007. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
- ^ Gordon, Sean (February 26, 2009). "So long Steve". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
- ^ "Canadiens trade grinder Steve Begin to Stars for defenceman Doug Janik". National Hockey League. February 26, 2009. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
- ^ "Bruins sign center Steve Begin". USA Today. July 1, 2009. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
- ^ Kalman, Matt (May 1, 2010). "Everything fell in line for Bruins". ESPN. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
- ^ Murphy, James (August 30, 2010). "Begin says B's have shown interest". ESPN. Retrieved April 28, 2013.
- ^ "Canucks give Begin, Legace tryouts". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. September 7, 2011. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
- ^ Hall, Vicki; Johnson, George (January 18, 2013). "Flames notebook: Steve Begin hopes for comeback after long recovery from hip surgery". Calgary Herald. Retrieved April 28, 2013.
- ^ "Calgary Flames sign veteran centre Steve Begin to one-year contract". National Hockey League. January 18, 2013. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
- ^ a b Hall, Vicki (February 24, 2013). "Begin soldiers into his 500th career NHL game". Calgary Herald. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
- ^ "Flames sign Begin to minor-league contract". National Hockey League. August 28, 2013. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
- ^ "Bégin annonce sa retraite avec émotion" (in French). Réseau des sports. January 16, 2014. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
- ^ Cruickshank, Scott (April 18, 2013). "Heart-and-soul Flames forward Begin relishes turn as a goal-scoring hero". Calgary Herald. Retrieved April 28, 2013.
External links
- Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Eurohockey.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database