Happy birthday to Ed Belfour, one of the most competitive and accomplished goaltenders in NHL history and a key figure in the success of the Dallas Stars during the late 1990s.

Belfour joined Dallas in 1997 after successful runs with the Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks. He quickly became the backbone of the Stars, providing elite, consistent goaltending. Between 1997 and 2002, Belfour recorded 160 regular season wins with Dallas and added 44 playoff victories, establishing himself as one of the most reliable postseason goalies of his era.

His defining moment came during the 1998–99 season when he backstopped Dallas to its first Stanley Cup championship. Belfour played 22 playoff games that spring, posting a 1.67 goals-against average and delivering several clutch performances, including a triple-overtime win in the Final against the Buffalo Sabres. His calm presence and technical precision were crucial to that championship run.

Throughout his Stars tenure, Belfour consistently ranked among the league’s best in goals-against average and wins, forming the foundation of a defensively dominant team that also featured stars like Mike Modano and Sergei Zubov. Dallas reached the Stanley Cup Final again in 2000, further cementing Belfour’s legacy with the franchise.

Looking at his full career, Belfour was one of the NHL’s elite goaltenders across multiple teams. He won the Vezina Trophy twice, was named to multiple All-Star teams, and finished with 484 regular season wins, placing him among the all-time leaders. Known for his intensity and fierce competitiveness, he earned the nickname “The Eagle” and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2011.