What The Eagle Says:

I always wanted to play professional hockey. Every hockey player's dream, no matter at what level or what age, is to play professionally. At first you don’t know what it’s all about, but you have that dream and you always work hard toward it. The older you get, the more you start dedicating yourself to the game.
Ice Time: Eagle eyes on young goaltenders
pjstar.com   
October 01, 2009

Rivermen goalies will learn from one of the best in Belfour

By DAVE EMINIAN

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Ed works on technique with a player during practice. (DAVID ZALAZNIK/JOURNAL STAR)

PEORIA - Just a few months ago, Ed Belfour still wanted to play.

At age 44, though, the fiery, great goaltender of 18 NHL seasons realized he was likely closer to the Hockey Hall of Fame than he was to his playing days.

And so while enshrinement surely awaits, Eddie the Eagle has landed with the St. Louis Blues organization as a goaltending coach for the AHL’s Peoria Rivermen for the 2009-10 season.

The Blues believe Belfour’s resume is the kind that will make their young goaltending prospects, Ben Bishop and Jake Allen, and young veteran Hannu Toivonen, take notice.

His 484 wins were third-most by a goaltender in NHL history. He won the Vezina Trophy twice (1991 and 1993), appeared in five NHL All-Star games, led the Chicago Blackhawks to the Stanley Cup finals in 1991-92 and won the Cup with Dallas in 1998-99. All told, he played 963 regular-season NHL games — and another 161 postseason — in a career that touched three decades.

Throughout, he was a sometimes-combative, always ultra-competitive star in the net.

“I’m 44 now, and there’s not much interest in a 44-year-old goaltender,” Belfour said, as he prepared for his first Rivermen practice at Carver Arena in late September. “I think I could still play, and I still have that drive. But (Blues vice-president of player personnel) Doug Armstrong mentioned to me over the summer that this coaching possibility would be available.

“I gave it some thought. No acceptable playing offers came across the table, so I was glad to have this chance and I took it. You don’t know when coaching opportunities will be there again, so those are hard to pass up. And the Blues have always been a great, competitive organization and I’m proud to be part of them.”

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About Eddie "The Eagle" Belfour
What you should know about Eddie   

ImageEd Belfour will go down in history as one of the premier goaltenders to ever play in the NHL. Eddie has had to battle every step of the way. He was still playing in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League at age 21. He was not drafted into the western junior league or the NHL. This undrafted player went on to win a NCAA Championship, Calder Trophy, Venzina Trophy, Canada Cup, Stanley Cup and Olympic Gold Medal.

Many have said Eddie is unorthodox, high-strung and totally unpredictable, but no goalie has ever played the position with as much fire, fury and athleticism. Supremely confident and talented, this is his story…

Ed Belfour has been competing ever since his parents, Henry and Alma, welcomed him into the world on April 21, 1965. He grew up in Carman, Manitoba, a town of 3,000 located about 30 miles north of North Dakota. The Belfours lived in a house which Henry and Alma built themselves on the north side of town. Eddie shared a bedroom with his younger sister, Patricia. In a place where winter temperatures regularly dipped below zero, cold-weather sports dominated the landscape. Eddie's father bought him his first pair of skates when he was five.  Read more... 

 

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