Murray Balfour

Murray Gordon Louis Balfour (August 24, 1936 – May 30, 1965) was a Canadian ice hockey right wing in the National Hockey League from 1956 to 1965, with the Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Black Hawks, and Boston Bruins. Balfour won the Stanley Cup in 1961 with Chicago. His career ended due to lung cancer, which led to his death in 1965.

Playing career Balfour first played in the National Hockey League with the Montreal Canadiens, playing five games with them over the 1956–57 and 1957–58 seasons, though mainly spent those years with their minor-league affiliates, the Hull-Ottawa Canadiens and Montreal Royals. A right wing, Balfour was unable to play for Montreal full-time as the team already had Maurice Richard, Bernie Geoffrion, and Claude Provost on the team (the first two later being elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame. After spending the 1958–59 season with the minor-league Rochester Americans, Balfour was sold to the Chicago Black Hawks for cash.

Balfour was a member of the renowned "Million Dollar Line" alongside Bobby Hull and Bill Hay with the Black Hawks. In game three of the first round of the 1961 Stanley Cup playoffs, he scored the game winner in triple overtime against the defending champion Canadiens. In the fifth game, Balfour crashed into the Detroit Red Wings net and broke his arm. The Hawks went on to win the Stanley Cup in six games with Balfour watching the final game from the hospital. He led Chicago in goals scored during the playoffs with 5. During the 1961–62 season Balfour re-injured his wrist, requiring surgery and an steel rod implanted for support.

His play declined as a result of the injury, and he was traded to the Boston Bruins in 1964. He started the 1964–65 season with the Bruins, however he complained about being tired and began slowing down. As a result, Balfour was sent to their minor-league affiliate, the Hershey Bears. After 31 games with Hershey, Balforur stopped playing, and was treated for a lesion on his lung. On April 5 he had surgery, where an inoperable tumor was found.

The City of Regina named a hockey arena in Balfour's honour.

Balfour's parents were Gordon and Margaret Balfour (nee Folk) of Regina.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1952–53 Regina Pats WJHL 31 2 4 6 38 7 0 1 1 10 1952–53 Regina Pats Al-Cup — — — — — 2 0 0 0 5 1953–54 Regina Pats WJHL 35 7 5 12 99 16 4 4 8 45 1954–55 Regina Pats WJHL 38 10 16 26 156 12 7 4 11 30 1954–55 Regina Pats M-Cup — — — — — 3 1 2 3 4 1955–56 Regina Pats WJHL 34 24 18 42 104 10 7 5 12 20 1955–56 Regina Pats M-Cup — — — — — 19 15 4 19 65 1956–57 Hull-Ottawa Canadiens OHA Sr 19 12 7 19 76 — — — — — 1956–57 Hull-Ottawa Canadiens QHL 18 2 6 8 15 — — — — — 1956–57 Montreal Canadiens NHL 2 0 0 0 2 — — — — — 1956–57 Hull-Ottawa Canadiens M-Cup — — — — — 15 5 12 17 35 1957–58 Montreal Canadiens NHL 3 1 1 2 4 — — — — — 1957–58 Montreal Royals QHL 62 23 25 48 107 7 1 2 3 20 1958–59 Rochester Americans AHL 67 14 23 37 181 1 0 0 0 0 1959–60 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 61 18 12 30 55 4 1 0 1 0 1960–61 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 70 21 27 48 123 11 5 5 10 14 1961–62 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 49 15 15 30 72 12 1 1 2 15 1962–63 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 65 10 23 33 75 6 0 2 2 12 1963–64 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 41 2 10 12 36 7 2 2 4 4 1964–65 Boston Bruins NHL 15 0 2 2 26 — — — — — 1964–65 Hershey Bears AHL 31 10 8 18 36 — — — — — NHL totals 306 67 90 157 393 40 9 10 19 45