If you followed hockey during the 1990s and early 2000s, chances are you know Ed Belfour by another name: “Eddie the Eagle.”
But why is Ed Belfour called The Eagle?
The nickname is closely connected to the eagle imagery that became a signature part of Belfour’s identity throughout his NHL career, most famously appearing on his goalie masks. Over the years, the eagle became almost as recognizable as Belfour himself, following him from team to team and eventually beyond the rink.
From an undrafted goaltender to a Stanley Cup champion, Olympic gold medalist and Hockey Hall of Famer, Belfour built one of the most memorable careers of his generation. Today, a new form of his Eagle continues that story through Belfour Spirits, appearing on the bottles and throughout the brand.
Who Is Ed Belfour?
Ed Belfour is a former NHL goaltender and member of the Hockey Hall of Fame whose professional career spanned nearly two decades.
What makes his story particularly remarkable is how it began. Belfour was never selected in the NHL Draft. After playing college hockey at the University of North Dakota, he signed with the Chicago Blackhawks as a free agent in 1987.
From there, he built one of the most accomplished goaltending careers of his generation.
During his NHL career, Belfour played for the:
- Chicago Blackhawks
- San Jose Sharks
- Dallas Stars
- Toronto Maple Leafs
- Florida Panthers
After his NHL career, Belfour also spent one season playing for Leksands IF in Sweden, adding an international chapter to his career before retiring from professional hockey.
He finished his NHL career with 484 regular-season wins, won the Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars in 1999, earned two Vezina Trophies, won an Olympic gold medal with Team Canada and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2011.
For an undrafted goaltender, it was an extraordinary journey.
Where Did the “Eddie the Eagle” Nickname Come From?
The eagle became an important part of Belfour’s identity early in his NHL career. After a stint in the minor leagues, he proved himself in Chicago by winning the Jennings, Vezina, and Calder Memorial Trophies as a rookie. One of the rewards of his success was the chance to get a custom-crafted mask in an era when they were not as common as they are today.
“They give me the opportunity to get a custom-made Greg Harrison mask, and he was out of Toronto. So our first trip into Toronto, I was given the opportunity to design and customize a mask and I said “Greg, I want a really cool mean-looking bird on each side of my mask, and I’m preferring eagles, but I’ll leave it up to you.” And he put two beautiful eagles on each side of the mask and that’s how I got ‘Eddie the Eagle,’” explained Ed. “Mike Keenan being our (Blackhawks) coach back then, he just started calling me ‘Eddie The Eagle’ in the press all the time and it stuck.”
His goalie masks featured distinctive eagle artwork, creating a visual identity that followed him even as his uniforms changed. Fans and broadcasters began associating Belfour with the bird, and the nickname “Eddie the Eagle” stuck.
Instead of abandoning the imagery when he moved to another team, Belfour adapted the eagle designs to incorporate elements of his new surroundings.
The result was a series of masks that became some of the most recognizable pieces of equipment from his era. For hockey fans who watched him play, seeing the eagle behind the mask often meant one thing: Eddie the Eagle was in net.
He then incorporated the design into the marks for Belfour Spirits with the help of a family friend.
“This eagle was produced by Abby Friesen and myself,” Belfour said. “How fitting that Abby Friesen, who sat in the Stanley Cup, she’s the daughter of one of my best friends back home, Jeff Friesen.”
For hockey fans who watched him play, seeing the eagle behind the mask often meant one thing: Eddie the Eagle was in net.
Is Ed Belfour in the Hockey Hall of Fame?
Yes. Ed Belfour was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2011.
His career accomplishments include:
- 484 NHL regular-season wins
- 76 career shutouts
- 1999 Stanley Cup champion
- 2002 Olympic gold medalist with Team Canada
- Two Vezina Trophies
- Four William M. Jennings Trophies
- Calder Memorial Trophy
- Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2011
His journey from an undrafted college goaltender to the Hockey Hall of Fame remains one of the more remarkable career paths in professional hockey.
The Eagle Legacy Continues
The Eagle started on a goalie mask, but over the course of Ed Belfour’s career, it became something much bigger.
Life after hockey eventually brought Belfour into an entirely different world: whiskey.
Together with his family, Ed turned his attention to building Belfour Spirits, bringing the same appreciation for craftsmanship and detail into a new chapter outside the rink.
And the Eagle came with him.
Today, the newest form of Ed Belfour’s Eagle lives on through Belfour Spirits, appearing on the bottles and throughout the brand. What began as a recognizable image on his goalie masks has evolved into a symbol connecting his hockey legacy with what he is building today.
The Belfour name (and the eagle) can now be found on a collection of American whiskeys, including bourbon and rye expressions.
For longtime hockey fans, it offers another way to follow the story of Eddie the Eagle long after his final NHL game.
Decades after the nickname first caught on, “Eddie the Eagle” remains inseparable from the Ed Belfour story.
And the Eagle is still flying.
