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.

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. 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. 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. His efforts began to pay off when, on January 13, 2001, he earned a seven-game tryout with the Quebec Citadelles of the AHL. Making the most of this opportunity, he scored a hat trick in a 5–2 victory over the Portland Pirates 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. Bélanger's perseverance culminated in a call-up to the NHL on February 15, 2001,

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs 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 — — — — —