Does Ed Belfour Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Egon Eagle, CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/, via Wikimedia Commons

Ed Belfour was one of the better goalies of the era, but does that mean he belongs in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Listen to us discuss Belfour’s case here:

Hasek, Belfour, Vachon

Ed Belfour’s Career:

  • NHL: 1988-07; 17 seasons, 16 as a starter
  • Totals:
    • 484W (4th All Time) 
    • 320L (12th)
    • 125T (11th)
    • 76 SO (10th) 
    • 55,595 minutes (5th) in 
    • 963 Games (5th); 
    • 157.3 PS (10th Goalie)
    • 173.9 GSAA (16th)
  • Averages:
    • .906 SV%
    • 2.50 GAA
  • Undrafted
  • Era: Of the 20 goalies to play in at least 410 games between 1988 and 2007, Belfour is
    • 2nd in Wins
    • 3rd in Losses
    • 1st in Ties/Others
    • 2nd in Goals Against
    • 2nd in Shots Against
    • 3rd in Saves
    • 10th in Save Percentage
    • 25th in GAA
    • 4th in Goals Saved Above Average
    • 2nd in Shutouts
    • 1st in Minutes
    • 1st in Games
  • 82-game average: 28-19-7, 5 SO
  • 3-year peak (1990-93): 82-game average of 35-18-9, 5 SO, .904 SV%, 2.43 GAA
  • Playoffs: 
    • 88W (4th All Time)
    • 66L (3rd)
    • 14 SO (6th)
    • .920 SV% (20th)
    • 2.17 GAA
    • 89.2 GSAA 
    • 9945 minutes in 
    • 161 Games (3rd)
  • Adjusted: 
    • 2.60 GAA (15th All Time), 
    • .911 SV% (24th)
  • Trades:
    • Traded at 31 for Chris Terreri (32), Ulf Dahlen (30) and Michal Sykora (23)
    • Trade at 37 with Cameron Mann (25) for David Gosselin (25) and a 2003 Fifth Rounder (nobody)

Ed Belfour’s Accomplishments:

  • Vezina (‘91, ‘93)
  • Top 5 in Vezina voting a further five times
  • Jennings (‘91, ‘93, ‘95, ‘99) – third most ever
  • Calder (‘91)
  • Top Player:
    • Top 5 Player (by Point Shares) (‘91, ‘03)
    • Top 10 Player (‘93, ‘00)
    • Best Goalie (by Goalie Point Shares) (‘91)
    • Top 5 Goalie (‘93, ‘03)
    • Top 10 Goalie (‘94, ‘00)
  • Wins:
    • Leader-boards:
      • Led the league once
      • Top 5 seven times
      • Top 10 ten times
    • Totals:
      • 40 Wins twice (1 of only 13 players)
      • 35 Wins seven times (1 of only 5 players)
  • Shutouts:
    • Leader-boards:
      • Led the league four times (1 of only 9 players)
      • Top 5 nine times
      • Top 10 eleven times
    • Totals:
      • 10 Shutouts once
      • 5 Shutouts six times (1 of only 6 players)
  • Shots Against:
    • Led the league once
    • Top 5 twice
    • Top 10 four times
  • Saves
    • Total Saves:
      • Led the league once
      • Top 5 three times
      • Top 10 four times
    • Percentage:
      • Leader-boards:
        • Led the league twice
        • Top 5 four times
        • Top 10 six times
      • Over .920 once
  • Goals Against:
    • GAA:
      • Leader-boards:
        • Led the league twice
        • Top 5 seven times
        • Top 10 ten times
      • Averages:
        • Under 1.9 once
        • Under 2 twice (1 of only 22 players)
        • Under 2.1 three times (1 of only 19 players)
        • Under 2.25 four times (1 of only 22 players)
        • Under 2.5 eight times (1 of only 21 players)
    • GSAA:
      • Leader-boards:
        • Led the league once
      • Top 5 four times
        • Top 10 eight times
      • Single-season totals:
        • +40 once (1 of only 22 players)
        • +35 twice (1 of only 12 players)
        • +20 five times (1 of only 12 players)
  • Minutes:
    • Leader-boards:
      • Led the league twice
      • Top 5 four times
      • Top 10 five times
    • Totals:
      • +4,000 minutes twice
  • All Star:
    • 1st Team All Star twice
    • 2nd Team once
    • 5 All Star Game appearances
    • Monthly:
      • Rookie of the Month twice
  • Adjusted Peak:
    • .920 (9th All Time)
    • 13th All Time in Goals Vs Average
  • IHL:
    • 1st Team All Star once
    • Co-Rookie of the Year (‘88)
  • College:
    • Conference 1st Team All Star once
    • West 2nd Team All American once

Ed Belfour’s Great Teams:

  • NHL:
    • Best Player (led playoffs in SA, Saves and Shutouts) on one Runner Up (‘00 Stars)
    • Best Player on one Final Four (‘98 Stars)
    • Best Player? (led playoffs in SA and Saves) On one Final Four (‘95 Blackhawks)
    • Starter (led playoffs in GAA) on one Runner Up (‘92 Blackhawks)
    • Starter (led playoffs in Wins and Minutes) on one Champion (‘99 Stars)
  • Olympics:
    • Third string goalie (no GP) on one Champion (‘02 Canada)
  • Canada/World Cup:
    • Third string goalie (no GP) on one Champion (‘91 Canada)
  • NCAA:
    • All Tournament Goalie on one Champion (‘87 Fighting Sioux)

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