Éric Bélanger

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Éric Bélanger : biography

December 16, 1977 –

Éric Bélanger (born December 16, 1977) is a French-Canadian professional ice hockey centre who is currently an Unrestricted Free Agent, having played most recently for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League.

Playing career

He was drafted in the fourth round, ninety-sixth overall, by the Los Angeles Kings in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. Before making his NHL debut, Bélanger played with the Beauport Harfangs and Rimouski Océanic of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League; Fredericton Canadiens; Springfield Falcons and Lowell Lock Monsters of the American Hockey League; and the Long Beach Ice Dogs of the International Hockey League. Bélanger made his NHL debut on October 6, 2000. During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Bélanger played for HC Bolzano in Italy.

On September 29, 2006, Bélanger and Tim Gleason were traded to the Hurricanes for Oleg Tverdovsky and Jack Johnson. On February 9, 2007, Bélanger was traded to the Nashville Predators in exchange for center Josef Vašíček. The following day, he was sent to the Atlanta Thrashers for defenseman Vitaly Vishnevski. During his time in Atlanta, he helped the Thrashers to their first playoff berth where on April 12, 2007, he scored the first ever Atlanta Thrashers playoff goal off a feed from Niclas Havelid on the powerplay.

On July 3, 2007, Bélanger signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Wild on a 3-year deal.

On March 3, 2010, the NHL trade deadline, Bélanger was traded to the Washington Capitals for a 2nd 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 defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeron, which resulted in Bélanger losing 9 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.

He signed a three-year contract worth $5.25 million with the Edmonton Oilers on July 1, 2011. Bélanger had a career low season with the Oilers, in which he only recorded 4 goals and 12 assists, the lowest totals in both categories in his career.

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

Career statistics

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
NHL totals 820 138 220 358 361 41 2 5 7 28

Personal life

Bélanger and wife Alexandra have 2 daughters: Oceanne and Lola Pearl.