Francis Bélanger

Francis Henri Bélanger (born January 15, 1978) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who appeared in 10 National Hockey League (NHL) games for the Montreal Canadiens during the 2000–01 season.

Francis Bélanger
Born	(1978-01-15) January 15, 1978 (age 47) Bellefeuille, Quebec, Canada
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	227 lb (103 kg; 16 st 3 lb)
Position	Left wing
Shot	Left
Played for	Montreal Canadiens
NHL draft	124th overall, 1998 Philadelphia Flyers
Playing career	1998–2013

Career

On July 23, 1999, while enjoying what was supposed to be a leisurely boating trip in British Columbia alongside fellow Philadelphia Flyers prospects Dmitri Tertyshny and Mikhail Chernov, Bélanger witnessed a harrowing tragedy. As the boat hit a wave, Tertyshny was thrown forward over the bow, and in a devastating accident, the boat's propeller fatally struck him, severing his jugular vein.^[1] The sudden and violent nature of the incident left Bélanger deeply traumatized. Struggling to cope with the loss of his close friend and teammate, he fell into a spiral of depression and began drinking heavily as a way to numb the emotional pain. Recognizing his deteriorating mental health, the Flyers organization stepped in with support: they granted him leave with full pay, encouraged him to pursue professional help, and had their strength and conditioning coach provide him with a structured daily workout plan in hopes of giving him a sense of stability and purpose.^[2] Despite these efforts, Bélanger's struggles persisted, and on November 29, 2000, he failed a drug test, which led to his release from the organization. Determined to reclaim his career and rebuild his life, Bélanger entered a rehabilitation program to work toward sobriety.^[3] His efforts began to pay off when, on January 13, 2001, he earned a seven-game tryout with the Quebec Citadelles of the AHL.^[4] Making the most of this opportunity, he scored a hat trick in a 5–2 victory over the Portland Pirates^[5] and accumulated 10 goals and 11 points in just 14 games. His impressive performance caught the attention of the Montreal Canadiens, who offered him a two-year contract worth $300,000.^[2][6] Bélanger's perseverance culminated in a call-up to the NHL on February 15, 2001,^[4] and he officially made his NHL debut two days later in a game against the Washington Capitals.^[7]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1994–95	Abitibi-Témiscamingue Forestiers	QMAAA		4	1	0	1	—		—	—	—	—	—
1994–95	Laval Régents	QMAAA		28	11	8	19	78		14	0	8	8	—
1995–96	Hull Olympiques	QMJHL		1	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1995–96	St-Jérôme Panthers	QPJHL		26	3	7	10	179		—	—	—	—	—
1996–97	Hull Olympiques	QMJHL		53	13	13	26	134		8	2	2	4	29
1997–98	Hull Olympiques	QMJHL		33	22	23	45	133		—	—	—	—	—
1997–98	Rimouski Océanic	QMJHL		30	18	10	28	248		17	14	8	22	61
1998–99	Philadelphia Phantoms	AHL		58	13	13	26	242		16	4	3	7	16
1999–00	Trenton Titans	ECHL		9	1	1	2	29		—	—	—	—	—
1999–00	Philadelphia Phantoms	AHL		35	5	6	11	112		—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		10	0	0	0	29		—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Philadelphia Phantoms	AHL		13	1	3	4	32		—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Quebec Citadelles	AHL		22	15	4	19	101		9	2	5	7	20
2001–02	Quebec Citadelles	AHL		69	15	26	41	165		3	1	1	2	0
2002–03	Cincinnati Mighty Ducks	AHL		40	4	10	14	50		—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	Charlotte Checkers	ECHL		5	2	1	3	25		—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	Richmond RiverDogs	UHL		17	11	13	24	47		4	1	1	2	32
2003–04	Granby Prédateurs	QSMHL		42	17	16	33	179		—	—	—	—	—
2004–05	Richmond RiverDogs	UHL		63	26	26	52	174		—	—	—	—	—
2004–05	Danbury Trashers	UHL		13	1	8	9	35		11	3	7	10	23
2005–06	Danbury Trashers	UHL		4	2	3	5	37		—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	Sorel-Tracy Mission	LNAH		38	24	22	46	145		11	6	4	10	16
2006–07	Sorel-Tracy Mission	LNAH		40	21	19	40	118		10	2	3	5	28
2007–08	Sorel-Tracy Mission	LNAH		1	1	0	1	2		—	—	—	—	—
2007–08	Rivière-du-Loup CIMT	QSCHL		27	22	19	41	99		10	5	7	12	41
2010–11	Sorel-Tracy GCI	LNAH		32	12	11	23	95		—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	Sorel-Tracy Carvena HC	LNAH		15	2	3	5	44		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				10	0	0	0	29		—	—	—	—	—